The Wao Summit 2025 is a week-long festival of kōrero, films, walking tours, practical workshops, and community events across Wānaka and Queenstown. The week long programme is designed to educate communities, ignite climate action, drive system change, and build stronger, more resilient Aotearoa.
Grounded in the question, what kind of ancestors do we want to be?, this year’s summit takes the long view, looking 100 years ahead to reimagine how we live, lead, and thrive in 2125.
The programme features some of New Zealand’s most renowned experts alongside grassroots leaders, indigenous voices, and international changemakers, offering insight, connection, and real-world solutions. From the opening Journey to 2125 panel to action-driven sessions on regenerative business, low-carbon building, food resilience and nature-based systems, the summit empowers attendees to turn knowledge into action.
Highlights include the Better Building Day for construction resilience, Better Business Day for driving systems change, Food Resilience Tour showcasing local models, and the Better Communities weekend with neighbourhood-scale approaches to energy, water and housing.
Whether you're a business leader, builder, student, parent, or policymaker, the Wao Summit offers the tools, inspiration, and collective momentum to help shape a thriving Aotearoa, now and for generations to come.
WAO Summit 2025 is where our community gathers to learn, connect, and build a better tomorrow, together. Join us to take action for our climate, our people, and our future - change starts here.
Grab a pass or reserve your spot at one of our sessions from $15 and become a catalyst for positive transformation. Visit wao.co.nz for tickets.