Kia ora iPRES Enthusiasts!
Message from the Conference Chairs
The te reo Māori greeting ‘Kia ora’ translates to ‘Be well’, and is a common way of saying hello here in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s generally the first words you’ll hear upon arriving on our shores.
We could not be more excited that 2025 is finally here, and to be hosting iPRES in beautiful Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington from November 3-7. Many of us on the Local Organising Committee have made New Zealand our home from other parts of the world to become part of the vibrant digital preservation community here. We hope that you will love it here in Aotearoa as much as we do!
We know that it will be a long journey for some folks, and we are committed to making iPRES 2025 as environmentally sustainable as possible for in-person attendees. Wellington is a leader in environmental sustainability and conservation of our native bird life, being one of the few cities in the world where biodiversity is increasing, thanks in no small part to the Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne Ecosanctuary. These environmental learnings have powerful lessons for digital preservation as well.
Even if you can’t be physically present with us in Wellington in November, we are working hard to ensure that our programme and content cater to participants across time zones. Whether in person, or online, this is one conference you won't want to miss.
– Andrea Goethals (Chair); Valerie Love, Jan Hutař, and Martin Gengenbach (Vice-Chairs)
Call for Contributions and conference themes
The Call for Contributions is currently open for peer-reviewed submissions between now and 14 April, End of day, Anywhere on Earth (AoE).
The themes for iPRES 2025 are: Haerenga (Journey), Tūtaki (Encounter), and Tūhono (Connect). These themes encourage reflections on the evolving practices, innovations and partnerships shaping the future of digital preservation. Each theme reinforces the others, creating a holistic view of how digital preservation research and practice can adapt, innovate and thrive.
Haerenga (Journey) - This theme focuses on the broader narrative of digital preservation, emphasising the ongoing processes, challenges, and learning experiences practitioners face.
Tūtaki (Encounter) - This theme is focused on innovation, disruption, and the re-evaluation of long-held norms.
Tūhono (Connect) - This theme is all about the importance of communities, collaboration and interdisciplinary work in digital preservation.
Detailed information on types of submissions, conference themes, and submission instructions is available on the iPRES website at https://www.ipres2025.nz/call-for-contributions.
Call to Community
This month we’re also holding a series of Call to Community brainstorming workshops, which provide a unique opportunity for you to share your thoughts and ideas for shaping the ideal iPRES experience directly with the 2025 Local Organising and Attendee Experience committees. The workshops will all have the same content, so you only need to join one. Connection details will be delivered via email prior to each session. More information is available here.
Sign up to be a reviewer, or join a committee!
We are currently seeking reviewers for peer-reviewed paper and proposal submissions. Expressions of interest are sought from suitably qualified and experienced individuals to join the Programme Committee as reviewers.
There are also opportunities to participate in other iPRES 2025 Committees, such as Attendee Experience, Communications Team, Professional Visits, and Regional Impact committees. More information about iPRES 2025 Committees is available on the news section of the iPRES 2025 website. Use this form to express your interest in being a reviewer, or to indicate the committees you'd like to volunteer for by 31 January 2025, End of Day, AoE. While we welcome your enthusiasm, please note that submitting this form does not guarantee placement on a committee.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We have also launched our sponsorship prospectus and available packages. Partnering with us at iPRES 2025 is a great opportunity to showcase your organisation’s products and services to local and global audiences, both in person in Wellington and online. We look forward to working together to make iPRES 2025 an event to remember! For more information, contact us directly or visit our website at https://www.ipres2025.nz/sponsorship.
All the iPRES 2025 info
We are continually adding to the information available on the conference website at ipres2025.nz, so do check back regularly. You can also follow official iPRES 2025 accounts on social media on LinkedIn, Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, and YouTube, or follow the hashtag, #iPRES2025.
If you have been forwarded this email, do sign up for the iPRES Interest mailing list at https://bit.ly/ipres-interest.
Whakatauki / Māori proverb
We plan to close each newsletter with a whakatauki, or Māori proverb. This one is from the book, Aroha - Māori wisdom for a contented life lived in harmony with our planet, by Dr Hinemoa Elder.
Te manu kai miro, nōna te ngahere; te manu kai mātauranga, nōna te ao.
The bird that eats the miro berries, theirs is the forest; the bird that consumes knowledge, the world is theirs.
Ngā manaakitanga / With best wishes,The Wellington Local Organising Committee and Committee Chairs:
Andrea Goethals, Angela Puggioni, Blanche Joslin, Carly Lenz, Cynthia Wu, Dale Cousens, Jan Hutař, Joshua Ng, Martin Gengenbach, Nicola Caldwell, Sarah Middleton, and Valerie Love