People, whānau, Hapū, Iwi, First Nations Aboriginal Language Groups, Indigenous Peoples, and communities must have the agency to decide and actively participate in governance decision-making processes, determining their own destinies.

The responsibility for an individual's wellbeing, success, and outcomes related to social equity rests with each person or identified collective.

In our rapidly globalising world, Walk Together emerges as a pivotal initiative addressing the critical need for intercultural collaboration. Presently, there exists a substantial gap in expertise regarding how individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds can effectively work together. This deficit extends beyond mere knowledge levels, encompassing the intricacies of intercultural interactions and a reluctance to embrace diverse ways of thinking and doing. 

Both in Aotearoa and Australia, we are witnessing first hand citizen accounts documenting the struggles of our most vulnerable communities.  Indigenous peoples, stewards of lands tended for countless generations, find themselves relegated to second-rate citizenship. Walk Together is a response to this urgency, advocating for a nuanced understanding of cultural diversity as a cornerstone for effective collaboration.

In acknowledging that "other cultures are not failed attempts at being you," diverse human cultures assimilate practices from one another over generations, aiming to improve their quality of life. Cultures do not undergo abrupt transformations merely because another culture enters the scene. Each culture retains its distinctive values and knowledge systems, encompassing unique epistemological frameworks, pedagogies, and methodologies.

In alignment with Walk Together's vision of Total Wellbeing and Mana Motuhake, we acknowledge the imperative for recognising the agency of individuals and communities in shaping their own destinies. This vision underscores the commitment to holistic flourishing and self-determination, emphasising the importance of collaborative efforts to transform systems that no longer serve the collective wellbeing of all people.