Full Breakdown
Amanjot Singh Wins National Race Unity Speech Award 2026
5/14/2026, 11:15:32 PM
The Award and Winning Speech
Amanjot Singh, head boy of Hastings Boys’ High School, was announced as the national champion of the 2026 Race Unity Speech Awards. His entry, titled “The Courtroom of Life,” urged listeners to act as unbiased judges, hearing all sides before forming judgments. The speech has amassed thousands of views on YouTube and other social platforms. Singh, who also plays for the New Zealand Under-18 hockey team and intends to study medicine, received the award alongside other finalists who will meet New Zealand MPs in late June.
Personal Journey and Family Background
Singh grew up in Hawke’s Bay and describes experiencing racism linked to his brown skin and turban. He attributes his resilience to a reflective personal journey and to his father’s immigration to Aotearoa 26 years ago. Singh’s father arrived with “a history, a culture, and a desire for a better life,” confronting “stares, silence, even words that tried to make him smaller.” Singh says his father’s response—“they can put a hand on your history, but they can never touch your soul”— shaped his own stance on identity and belonging.
Data on Racism in Aotearoa
A 2021 Ministry of Health survey identified verbal racism as the most common form of racism experienced in New Zealand. The survey’s findings underpin Singh’s emphasis on listening and the need to move beyond stereotypes that often manifest in spoken insults.
Official Plans and Institutional Response
The Race Unity Speech Awards aim to promote cultural literacy and racial harmony among youth. Organisers noted that finalists, including Singh, will travel to Parliament to discuss cultural education initiatives with Members of Parliament. Singh plans to advocate for school-based programs that provide factual knowledge of diverse cultures, thereby reducing reliance on “assumptions or stereotypes or second-hand narratives.” The award’s sponsors highlighted the importance of youth-led dialogue in fostering national unity.
Criticism and Opposition
No dissenting viewpoints or criticism of Singh’s speech or the award were reported in the source material.
Why It Matters: Towards Cultural Literacy
Singh argues that diversity alone does not guarantee racial harmony; active listening and the willingness to challenge stereotypes are essential. He proposes a youth-driven digital platform where students share whakapapa and cultural insights, complemented by peer-led workshops. By encouraging “listening to understand” rather than “listening to rebut,” the initiative seeks to transform passive awareness into concrete behavioural change.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Before my voice, before my name, sometimes those first impressions turned into words – words that reached me only to remind me that I was different.” — Amanjot Singh, Head Boy, Hastings Boys’ High School
- “He came to New Zealand carrying more than a suitcase – a history, a culture, and a desire for a better life.” — Amanjot Singh
- “Whakarongo Kia Marama – listening to understand, changes everything.” — Amanjot Singh
- “And in life, two people can meet the same person, and have two different impressions of them.” — Amanjot Singh
- “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Amanjot Singh (quoting Martin Luther King Jr.)
- “Whakarongo kia marama – listen to understand – doesn’t end with judgment, it begins with responsibility.” — Amanjot Singh
What’s Next
In late June, Singh and the other award finalists will meet with MPs to present proposals for integrating cultural literacy into school curricula. Singh also intends to develop the proposed digital platform for student-led cultural exchange, aiming to translate the speech’s message into sustained educational practice across New Zealand.
