PHOTO: Tauranga. FILE
The finalists for the Beautiful Awards 2023, which celebrate the sustainability endeavors of New Zealand towns and cities, have been revealed. The winners will be announced in November.
Since 1972, the non-profit organization Keep New Zealand Beautiful has been hosting these annual awards to honor environmental excellence and sustainability achievements throughout the country.
The Most Beautiful Towns and Cities category acknowledges and rewards local councils that have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to environmental improvement over the past year.
This year, Christchurch and Tauranga are leading the pack for the title of Most Beautiful Large City, with nominations also going to Whanganui, Taupō, Leigh, New Plymouth, and Arrowtown.
Heather Saunderson, CEO of Keep New Zealand Beautiful, remarked, “The Awards provide an opportunity for New Zealanders to showcase their communities and celebrate outstanding sustainability initiatives in their towns or cities. Through the Beautiful Awards, we can acknowledge the contributions of local governments, community groups, schools, and individuals, all working towards preserving and enhancing New Zealand’s environment. This collective effort is essential for maintaining Aotearoa’s biodiversity and forging a future conscious of waste and climate issues for the next generations of Tidy Kiwis.”
To determine the finalists, New Zealanders were invited to nominate towns and cities that stood out for their sustainability efforts, providing explanations with a focus on litter prevention, waste reduction, community enhancement, and recycling initiatives.
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Beautiful Awards judges then evaluated the entries based on the number of nominations relative to the population, the effectiveness of their litter prevention and waste reduction initiatives, community enhancement projects, and recycling programs. Each of these four categories carried equal weight, resulting in the following finalists:
Most Beautiful Large City:
- Christchurch
- Tauranga City
Most Beautiful Small City:
- New Plymouth
- Whanganui
Most Beautiful Large Town:
- Taupō
- Whakatāne
Most Beautiful Small Town:
- Arrowtown
- Tūrangi
Most Beautiful Tiny Town:
- Awanui
- Leigh
The winners will be revealed at Parliament House on Thursday, November 9. Additionally, a Supreme award will be presented to the overall winner in the Most Beautiful Towns & Cities category, sponsored by Resene, which includes the creation of a mural in their town or city by a local artist.”
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