The truth according to leading Kiwis

Valerie Adams from the book <i>I Know This To Be True</i> which involves high profile kiwis talking about truths. Photo / Cyndi Weeks

Earlier this year the Herald asked readers the length and breadth of the nation for their thoughts - in one word - on who we are as a nation.

The project solicited responses including "unity", "inspired", "lucky", "humble", "freedom", "legendary" and "intuitive".

Three months after our Who We Are campaign, some of New Zealand's most-loved celebrities are opening up on the values they were taught, the things they have learned, where they find beauty and peace and what they think of New Zealand now as part of the I Know This To Be True initiative.

At the end of the interviews - conducted as part of a project headed by Ric Salizzo which has seen the production of a documentary and book - the leading Kiwis are also asked to provide a single word which encapsulate the things they know to be true.

The list of 60 high-profile Kiwis taking part is a who's who of New Zealand's sporting, art, business and entertainment communities, including Sir Colin Meads, Dame Trelise Cooper, Beauden Barrett, Dick Frizzell, Valerie Adams, Dave Dobbyn, The Topp Twins, Hollie Smith, Geoff Ross, Lucy Lawless and Gin Wigmore.

Gin Wigmore also features in <i>I Know This To Be True</i>. Photo / Cyndi Weeks

A share of the royalties from the sale of the I Know This To Be True book will go to Mike Chunn's Play It Strange charity, which encourages students to embrace music and song-writing.

In the forward to the book, Salizzo wrote that it had been inspiring listening to "an incredible collection of incredible New Zealanders who have had, and are having, the most amazing lives".

"We wanted to talk to them about truth because truth is compelling, and everyone has their own collections of things that they believe to be true - the truths that they have been taught and have learned along the way.

"It's been an absolute privilege to listen to all these Kiwis talk about what they know to be true in their own, interesting lives."

• I Know This To Be True screens tomorrow night on TV ONE at 7pm. The I Know This To Be True book will be available in stores from Monday.