We’ve got you covered. Wao Summit FAQs.
What is the Summit?
The Wao Summit is five days of workshops, kōrero, films, tours and community events about creating tangible, long-term social and environmental change.
This year's event focuses on community action around resilience, collaboration, better business, climate and ecosystems action. Whether you’re new here or have been on this ride for a while, you’re sure to find something that will inspire you into action.
Last year over 2,500 attendees joined us in taking a leap forward on a critical mission — a rapid and just transition to a safe climate future. Will you take part in 2024?
Who is the Summit for?
One of the core values of Wao is Whanaungatanga, which to us means leaving no one behind. With such a mix of events that appeal to all walks of life, our participants vary in age, gender, interests and backgrounds. Wao Summit is for school kids, young adults, parents, grandparents, and those in the building and construction, rural, hospitality, tourism, business, non-profit and public sectors.
There is something for everyone no matter what stage of the climate journey they are on. So if it is your first time or you have been on this ride for a while, we are sure you will have plenty of "ah huh!" moments this year, and walk away inspired and ready for action. We have collated a First Timers Guide to Wao Summit which is a great place to start planning your summit week.
What is the aim of the Summit?
We have less than 5 years until the effects of climate change are irreversible. This countdown frames our critical mission — a rapid transition to a safe climate future. So what can you do? You can join us at Wao Summit. Where climate meets action. Where education enables change. Join us in accelerating climate action and the shift towards a regenerative future.
This year's event theme is Better Together. Working together to take climate and ecosystems action, build community resilience, and learn to do business better. on community action.
What are the types of events on offer?
We have a variety of events, for a variety of audiences. The easiest way to find your way around is to look Programme Page and view the week programme PDF. Heres a quick explanation of our types of events:
Kōrero/Talk: Our Kõrero are the big conversations of the week. We invite you to stay after the event to network and connect with your fellow Wao community. Locally made and sourced nibbles are included as well, doesn’t get much better than that?
Masterclasses: Our masterclass sessions are engaging and sometimes interactive workshops designed to give you the tools to take action as soon as you walk out the door. You do not have to be an expert to participate!
Tours: Our Tours are intentional opportunities to discover the work being done now. They all showcase action in play. Let them prompt you into action with the opportunity for conversations and discovery.
Films: Our films showcase some of the most inspiring, innovative and adventurous individuals taking action for climate. They have been hand picked by the team at Wao and are set to inspire action. When a pebble is dropped, a ripple is spread.
Community Events: The art of connection. Our community events are an opportunity to gather with other like-minded locals, to celebrate the journey we are on and make new friends. They are free and they are for the whole family.
Green Drinks and Banter: These are networking sessions and are designed to enable action through conversation. When a pebble is dropped, a ripple is spread. You will have time to have a drink, chat with like-minded people both before and after the panel conversation.
How to get to the events?
Where possible, please come on foot, by bike, by skateboard, carpool or public transport (in Queenstown)! We are all on a mission to reduce our carbon footprint and invite everyone to think about how they get around our towns and be part of the modal shift!
We prioritise local speakers and live-stream speakers where needed. Some of our awesome speakers choose to travel by bus/ferry/train to come to our events!
Can I view any of the events online?
This is a waste-free event... What does it mean?
We will be recording our sessions, and uploading them for viewing after summit. More details on how to access this to come.
At Wao, we constantly strive to avoid waste wherever possible.
We print a minimum of posters and programs.
We make ink-friendly programmes for you to print… but encourage you to just keep a file on your phone to refer to instead.
Bring your keep cup for drinks served at our bar and a water bottle to keep you hydrated (we’re happy to refill it for you!)
For catering we chose suppliers who have good sustainable practices and we reduce packaging to a minimum and recycle or compost where necessary.
Our drinks and food are served in/on glassware/crockery to avoid disposables.
Do you offer food or drinks at your events?
Most of our masterclasses include tea, coffee and a snack.
All our Green Drinks events include free nibbles in the pre and post-event mingling sessions. Drinks from B.Effect and Rippon Wines can be purchased on Tuesday evening at Rippon and Friday evening at the Lake Wanaka Centre.
Ticket holders to our full day Food Resilience and BetterBuilding events will receive lunch from Fox & Badger.
We encourage you to bring your refillable water bottle to our events!
I’m an architect and I heard some of your events have NZAI CPD points?
Yes! On our online programme we have indicated which events have been approved by NZAI. To obtain your NYAI CPD points, you will need to apply with NZAI directly for individual activity points.
I’d love to volunteer at your events, is that possible?
I’d love to come but can’t afford the ticket price!
We try to make our events as affordable as possible but understand that in some cases it is still too much. Please don’t let the price of our events deter you from joining and get in touch at kiaora@wao.co.nz to discuss what we can do.
Students get 50% off all tickets and passes and children under 18 get a free entry. We also have a few free events for all to enjoy - you’ll still need to register to some of these, so please keep that in mind and make sure you get your free ticket booked in advance. Our Online Pass is also a very affordable way to see a lot of good content, check it out here.
Finally, if you volunteer for at least two of our Summit events you get free access to all our events - something to consider ;)
Do you offer any accessibility support at your events?
Yes, we do our very best to make our events accessible to all:
All our Summit venues are wheelchair accessible.
If you consider yourself to have a disability or a long term health condition, and would like assistance, please let us know.
Just get in touch with us at kiaora@wao.co.nz