As 2026 begins, what do we wish for?  Do we want to be accepted and liked by others, just the way we are?  And to feel safe from crime, hate, mass shootings, and war?

If so, chances are we are seeking social cohesion, which is something we can build together.  And the humble practice of making New Year’s resolutions can help.

First though, let’s explore the concept of social cohesion, which can be defined as the “glue” holding society together, or  our ability to live
well together, [encompassing] ideas of trust
and belonging.’  It is also sometimes referred to as our “social fabric” – the threads that weave us together in families, communities, nations, and as humanity.

The great thing about social cohesion is that it benefits everyone.   Almost all of us want trust and belonging.  Almost all of us want to feel safe.

So it is curious that this benign and universally desirable thing called social cohesion appears to be declining, both overseas and here in Aotearoa NZ.  The World Economic Forum cites the erosion of social cohesion as a key risk to global stability.  The Woven Together Report lists increasing inequality, misinformation / disinformation, the changing media landscape and online harassment as key threats to social cohesion.  The Social Cohesion in New Zealand report found lower levels of social cohesion in Aotearoa NZ than in Australia, and also that isolation affects half of respondents.  And we have seen the terrible consequences of this breakdown of social cohesion in events like the 2025 Bondi Beach shootings, which targeted the Jewish community, and the 2019 Christchurch Mosque shootings, which targeted the Muslim community.

But – a new year is dawning and we can change things.  So what does it take to build social cohesion?  In my view, there are two key facets of social cohesion here in Aotearoa NZ:

• Social cohesion in this land requires us non-Māori to fix our relationships with tangata whenua (Māori), and to honour the agreement that enabled us to settle here – see Why Te Tiriti matters to me – in seven sentences for more discussion on the importance of this.
• Social cohesion in this land also requires us to build respectful relationships with each other in all the myriad of characteristics that build our identity as humans, including ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, and socio-economic status.

But how do we do this?   Social cohesion requires each of us to do our bit.  And, if we all play our part, we can achieve almost anything.

So, as the year 2026 dawns, here are four possible New Year’s resolutions to consider:

1. I will listen and learn. This might include taking time to listen to the personal stories of others, learning about history and current events from credible sources, and considering personal responsibility and positionality.
2. I will broaden and deepen my connections in my community. This might include hosting a neighbourhood get together, joining a sports club or a language class, and attending local cultural events.
3. I will give my time and/or money to causes that build social cohesion. This might include supporting organisations dedicated to social cohesion in general, like the Social Cohesion Fund and the Tāhono Trust, or to organisations focused on different aspects of social cohesion, for example those building trust, belonging and safety for specific communities.
4. I will speak up for social cohesion. This might include having respectful conversations with people who think differently, writing submissions on government policies that undermine social cohesion, and challenging racist comments when we hear them.

I will be having a go at all the above, and I warmly invite you to join me.  Please add other ideas for New Year’s resolutions that build socially cohesion – and if you would like to share these in the comments below that would be great.

And may 2026 be a year in which we weave the threads of our social fabric back together, and build a more socially cohesive Aotearoa NZ for us all.

Happy New Year 2026!