Dying Matters Week Aotearoa
Dying Matters Week connects people across Aotearoa to start conversations in a safe space, learn from local experts and seek support to get affairs in order and navigate grief or loss. This year, events took place in 13 regions and 28 towns and cities across New Zealand.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for Dying Matters Week 2025! What an amazingly rich week of kōrero, sharing and learning! Your presence, questions, and stories helped create a compassionate and meaningful atmosphere in every session and workshop. It was wonderful to see the high engagement, and we hope this event has helped you to start important conversations with family and friends.
What’s happening in your location?
During Dying Matters Week 2025, there were 300+ events in 30 towns/cities around New Zealand. Over 100 volunteers, 200 speakers and 3000 people attended events in 40 libraries, 15 hospices and a range of other community venues. Click on the images below to see what’s happening close to you…
2025 event activities included…
Hands-on Workshops
Take part in practical workshops on Advance Care Planning, DIY Funeral Workshops, memory box making, coffin-making, navigating grief, art therapy and more.
Art & Theatre
Attend shows, exhibitions, comedy and films exploring end-of-life, death and grief.
Local Resources
Discover death care resources from local businesses and organisations, for example, community organisations, aged care organisations, wellness providers and palliative care providers.
Poetry & Storytelling
Read about others’ experiences with death and dying through poems and stories shared from the local community. Take part in shared reading events and story writing workshops.
Educational Talks & Presentations
Attend free talks from experts on topics including: natural death care, what happens to the body near end-of-life, caring for carers, grief in the workplace, volunteering at Hospice, wills and getting your affairs in order.
Conversation Spaces
Connect with others and start important conversations in your library’s ‘Departure Lounge’, at a local Death Cafe, at a ‘death over dinner’ event, as part of a Grief Circle or Support Group.
Online Events & Podcasts
Join from anywhere in New Zealand for new perspectives on grief, death in different cultures, the end-of-life journey and more.
Book Displays
Browse books for adults and children, about end-of-life, health journeys and grief in local libraries and bookstores.
In the media
Click on the links below to listen to podcasts, watch tv shows and read articles about Dying Matters Week.
- Dying Matters Week is all about facing one of the inevitable parts of life: death
- Dying Matters Week 2025 Podcast
- Community Event Discusses Death, Dying & Grief
- Dying Matters Week events in Gisborne
- Doulas Helping People Treat Death as a Journey
- RNZ with Kathryn Ryan on the Nine to Noon show
- End of Life Doula Alliance Aotearoa Interview with TVNZ
- Dying Matters Week – Pacific Days Interview
Videos and recordings from Dying Matters Week
View copies of visual presentations and video recordings made at events and workshops during Dying Matters Week or visit the Go With Grace YouTube channel…
Save the Date
Dying Matters Week 2026 will take place from Monday 7th September to Sunday 14th September.
Get involved in Dying Matters Week
Please fill in the form below to receive updates about Dying Matters Week events in your area or to register your interest in supporting or sponsoring events.
Meet our regional champions
Dying Matters Week would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of end-of-life-doulas, Death Cafe facilitators, Hospice staff, Honohono Tātou Katoa and others around Aotearoa. Click on the images below to find out more about some of the incredible people who organised event programmes in their local towns and cities.
2025 Dying Matters Week Photo Gallery
2025 national partners
It was wonderful to see national organisations around New Zealand sharing Dying Matters Week events with their communities – this really helps spread the word. A special thanks to our national partners; Hospice New Zealand, The Eldernet Group, and ELDAA (End of Life Doulas Alliance Aotearoa).
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