Festival Theme

2020 Theme

“Common Ground”

Interests shared by two or more people 

This can be interpreted in many ways, e.g. food is a great leveler … many great Visa WOAP events bring together people from all walks of life around a table, share food and walk away as lifelong friends. 

Food can be also be a medium to experience different cuisines, cultures, countries and different ways of life. 

You could consider how we all walk on the same ground, of both our ancestors and future generations. This is the kaupapa for kaitiakitanga, the process of protecting and caring for the environment for future generations. 

The individual words themselves also conjure up great food related images: common rooms, commons (land or resources belonging to or affecting the whole of a community), commissary (a store for provisions). Ground conjures up thoughts of coffee, bread, meat, vegetables, plants and the natural world.

The role of the annual theme

Each year we choose a theme for Visa WOAP to tie the programme together, to communicate what’s important, to provide inspiration for participants, to keep the programme dynamic and changing each year, and is also used as a basis for our marketing campaign. 

While it is not mandatory you use this theme (we will never turn away great event ideas), we encourage you to strongly consider it - consumers are increasingly interested in the theme and there are new Festival Awards given to best interpretation of the theme. 

Dine - it is compulsory to have an interpretation of the yearly theme.

This is a great way for you to think outside of the box and present fresh ideas.