28 Sep 2015

Indigenous health conference set to attract 1500

7:50 am on 28 September 2015

Preparations are underway to host more than 1500 people from around the world for a five-day indigenous health conference.

fruit and stethoscope

Photo: 123RF

Te Rau Matatini - which advocates for the development of the Māori health workforce - says the hui, called 'Healing Our Spirit Worldwide - The Seventh Gathering' will take place in November.

The event's Programme and Relationships Manager, Sonya Rimene, said indigenous people from 17 countries would take part.

She said it would be a chance to showcase Māori achievements in health and other areas to the world.

"We've got lots of great examples of where we are doing really well. So it's not looking at what's wrong and focusing on that area, it's looking at what's working.

"We're trying to widen out looking at 'what else is working for our people?', but also learn and share those stories with other indigenous communities across the world.

Sonya Rimene said those taking part would experience Māori culture as well as gain knowledge and solutions they could take back to their communities and whānau.

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