Kia ora koutou,
Welcome to the June edition of The Lookout.
We reach the halfway point of the year with the themes we opened 2026 with - security, trust, and New Zealand’s place in a more contested world - still very much in play, but now showing up more clearly in the decisions being made by leaders here and abroad.
What has shifted over the past few months is less about the issues themselves, and more about how they are being worked through. Questions of alignment, relationships, and judgement are now sitting alongside the more familiar economic and geopolitical pressures facing leaders. There are reasons, this month, to find some encouragement in that.
In Global Affairs, an unexpectedly aligned G7 and a peace deal signed in the same week offer a reminder that even in fractious times, shared interests find their way to the surface - territory Aspen NZ's new Security Programme is designed to work through. Critical Conversations looks at what AI still can't do, and why the slow work of building trust may be the most valuable thing leaders can invest in right now. And in Connected Communities, we are pleased to introduce two young New Zealanders heading to India this September to represent Aspen NZ at the Global Changemakers Workshop.
Global Affairs: Finding Common Ground
Critical Conversations: What AI Can't Replace
Connected Communities: Global Changemakers Scholarship Recipients
Upcoming Events: Aspen NZ Security Forum
We're also growing the team. If you know someone with strong Auckland networks and a passion for the conversations we're having, we'd love to hear from you.
Ngā mihi - Christine and the Aspen Institute NZ team