Jordyn's journey to the 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards

JORDYN Joy Pillay, a former South African, achieved national recognition in New Zealand for her commitment to promoting better race relations.

- NADIA KHAN

Jordyn, 16, who lives in Ormiston Flat Bush in Auckland, claimed the title of national champion in the 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards.

“This achievement has definitely exceeded many of the accolades I have received so far.”

Jordyn, who is formerly from Phoenix in Durban, said the annual awards, which are held by the Race Unit organisation, was a nationwide speech competition.

The organisation comprises New Zealand's police, Baha’i community, Federation of Multicultural Councils and Ministry of Ethnic Communities.

She said it was aimed at providing insight and impact on race relation matters across New Zealand, and to propose solutions or a vision for a world with increased cultural diversity.

Jordyn, a Year 12 (Grade 11) pupil at Ormiston Senior College, said the awards provided a platform for the voices of the Youth of New Zealand to be heard.

She said the regional level competition took place on March 20 - during Race Relations Week in New Zealand.

“I was then selected for the national finals which took place over two days - May 3 and 4. I competed against 21 other youth across New Zealand to advance to the national finals where six pupils made it through and from there I was crowned as the 2025 national champion.”

Jordyn said the theme for 2025 was Te Moana Nui 0 te Kanorau — which is written in Maori - the native language of New Zealand and meant The Great Ocean of Diversity.