The New Zealand Edge : Introduction to nzedge.com : www.nzedge.com

The New Zealand Edge is a new way of thinking about our identity, people, stories, achievements and place in the world. Below are NZEDGE's two pointers from the bottom of the world, sign-posts to strengthen our identity and foster the global community of New Zealanders. Join us on what we promise will be a radically optimistic journey:

The New Zealand Edge aims to:

>	Introduce metaphors and contemporary frameworks for NZers to articulate who we are (positively hammer some boundary poles of the self into the whenua).
>	Articulate and leverage our difference through the edge proposal (landscape, location, attitude, history, Maori, Pacific, character, fringe innovation).
>	Increase the prosperity of the country, in spirit and in pocket, by spreading the edge DNA thickly over the culture.
>	Build an emotional connection with the global community of New Zealanders.
>	Build the de-facto global brand for New Zealand by re-figuring a New Zealand identity based on high achievement in a diversity of disciplines - creative, technological, social and spiritual.

>	Create the country outside the country through connecting the Network of Overseas New Zealanders (NEONZ: the estimated one million Kiwis living outside NZ - a virtual community whose size would make it New Zealand's 2nd largest city).
>	Join the dots between the points of presence in the Kiwi diaspora.
>	Internationalise NZers view of themselves. NZEDGE is aimed at New Zealanders here and overseas and the site is intended to provide a useful framework for connecting NZ expatriots to each other, and their compatriots at home.
>	Develop an export culture among school kids upwards by encouraging the Tall Punga Syndrome. Local heart - global soul.

These pointers (identity and compatriation: NZEDGE'S way towards the Southern Cross) are substantiated on-line through:

>	Stories of New Zealand HEROES who have made their mark on world culture.
>	The FEATURES section covers contemporary New Zealand achievement and issues through essays, forums and features.
>	Our media page, NEWZEDGE, regularly updated, surveys NZ as featured in the world's online media.

As well NZEDGE.COM contains:

> Unique NZ online shopping in the edge EMPORIUM,

> IMAGE galleries,

> SPEECHES covering over 30 themes from clean and green to social dysfunction,

> Eclectic, useful, web LINKS,

> Extensive visitor COMMENTARY,

> and ABOUT YOU: the life, work and locations of the edge community.

Inspiration and attitude. Edge.

Please REGISTER for content updates and to become part of the worldwide New Zealand Edge Community.

Please share your optimism, energy and ideas with us.

Best regards,
Brian Sweeney

Brian Sweeney is producer of nzedge.com. He is a corporate advisor in business strategy and communications.

He studied Political Science at the University of Waikato New Zealand 1976-79, and there edited the notorious student newspaper Nexus. He was awarded the Blackwood Paul Prize for New Zealand Studies by the university, and elected Chairman of New Zealand Students� Arts Council 1980-82.

His first business was as an entrepreneur, producer and agent in the entertainment business in New Zealand and Australia (rock music, blues, c+w, performance, jazz, theater, dance, opera and comedy, winning 1988 Grand Jury Prize at the Clement Ferrand Short Film Festival, France, for Stalin�s Sickle, as producer with Costa Botes).

Since 1993 Brian Sweeney has been part of the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Conference www.ted.com in Monterey California convened by Chris Anderson and originally created by information architect Richard Saul Wurman.

Today he is Chairman, Director and co-founder (in 1987) of SweeneyVesty, a consultancy providing advice, strategy, communications and resources to corporate organizations and brands in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the world.

Brian Sweeney grew up in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, and lives in New Zealand and New York with his family. He has been recognised as a "World-Class New Zealander" by the Kea Network.

brian@nzedge.com