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.

NZEDGE was co-founded in 1999 by Brian Sweeney and Kevin Roberts who privately fund the initiative.

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 & Kevin Roberts
Founders, Directors
NZEDGE.COM