Office of Ethnic Communities Update Flourishing ethnic diversity; thriving New Zealand What's been happeningThe Office of Ethnic Communities is government's authoritative advisor on ethnic diversity in New Zealand. Our Purpose is that Ethnic Communities are strong and the benefits of ethnic diversity for New Zealand are realised. Minister's UpdateKia ora, mālō e lelei, talofa lava, namaste, ni hao, mabuhay, annyeonghaseyo, and very warm greetings to you all. Ramadan has well and truly begun, with the first glimpse of the crescent moon on 16 May. Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of daily fasting, from sunrise to sunset, to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan is a season of commitment, compassion, sharing, and peace. Director's UpdateTēnā koutou katoa The Office of Ethnic Communities had a busy month organising the 2018 Safer Communities Ministerial Forum, which took place on May 26 in Auckland. The Forum brought together Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries from the Ethnic Communities, Justice, and Police portfolios. Together with ethnic community leaders we collaborated on sustainable, long-term interventions aimed at improving safety in our communities. Meet the Office of Ethnic Communities newest memberKia ora. My name is Mohamud Mohamed and I recently joined the Office of Ethnic Communities team as a Diversity & Engagement Advisor in Auckland. MOKAA: The Land of OpportunityThe Office of Ethnic Communities is proud to have funded ‘MOKAA: The Land of Opportunity - 125 years of Indians in Aotearoa’. Curated by the New Zealand Indian Central Association, this exhibition tells the story from the first Indian presence to pioneering settlers to established communities in New Zealand. Suffrage 125 spotlight: ChangeMakers Refugee Forum, a conversation with Naomi TocherThis year we celebrate New Zealand’s 125th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote, marking the end of women’s suffrage. ChangeMakers Refugee Forum is a Wellington based, non-government organisation, representing communities from former refugee backgrounds. The organisation has many initiatives designed to live out their vision of New Zealanders from refugee backgrounds participating fully in New Zealand life. Looking for poems by writers with a migrant/former refugee backgroundLanding Press, a small Wellington publisher, is inviting migrant and former refugee poets to send in their work for a collection to be published in October 2018. Auckland Agency Group: Enabling a great international student experienceEach year, 130,000 international students representing 140 nationalities choose to study in New Zealand. Of these, 80,000 live in the Auckland region. 15 years on: Maintaining language and faith in Christchurch15 years ago, Ibrahim Abdelhalim and his wife Salwa started the annual Arabic language and Quran competition in Christchurch. Ibrahim, current president of the Canterbury African Council and long serving member of the Canterbury Muslim Community Trust, explains that the language group aims to teach all interested children the Arabic language, and Islamic culture as a means of creating harmony between diverse religious and ethnic groups. Ibrahim believes in promoting the peace and loving nature of Islam to the younger generation. Surinder Tandon: Role model for active citizenshipIn 2014, Dr Surinder Tandon received the insignia of a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (NZOM) for services to the community, and in the field of textile science. The award recognises a life time of service to others from a man whose personal motto is ‘service above self’. Do you have governance experience?Keep up to date with possible opportunities for new roles. Like our LinkedIn Companies page. We regularly post upcoming opportunities. Would you like to subscribe?Keep up to date with our projects and ethnic diversity issues by subscribing to our contact list. You will receive details about stories, events and community news by email. This includes our monthly newsletter the OEC Update. |