Prime Minister John Key was in Christchurch recently, when our editor Gaurav Sharma sat down with him for a chat on various migrant issues that New Zealand is currently facing.
Disability: Jointheconversation.nz
Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner is encouraging New Zealanders to give feedback on the first draft of the disability strategy as the second round of public consultation begins. The consultation opened on 25 July, and will go on till 21 August.
Book review: Migrant Journeys - New Zealand taxi drivers tell their stories
The two authors interviewed 14 migrant taxi drivers in Christchurch and Wellington to find out more about their lives. In fact, the authors interviewed many more but some families did not want their story published, in part because taxi driving is not seen as a suitable career in some countries.
Japan: My first Takumi Taiko concert
In August 2015, my boyfriend and I attended the annual Takumi concert at the Aurora Centre at Burnside High. I had lived in Japan when I was younger and had belonged to a taiko club in my town so I knew a little about taiko.
Our goal is to provide a one-stop solution to all the problems faced by Filipino migrants in Canterbury: Delia Richards
She is the Liaison Manager for Filipino worker's Social Integration Programme at Canterbury Migrants Centre, and also the founder and President of the community organisation Philippine Culture and Sports (PCS).
Chch's 160th anniversary celebrations
A special citizenship ceremony was held on July 31, in Christchurch’s famous Botanical Gardens to mark the 160th anniversary of the founding of Christchurch. in which 32 people from 12 different nationalities became New Zealand citizens.
'Enlightened companies' in Canterbury celebrate diversity by employing migrants: Peter Townsend
Peter Townsend is the Chief Executive of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce (CECC), a position he has held since 1996. In addition, he holds several corporate directorships and is the Honorary Consul for Chile for the South Island. In recognition of his services to businesses and communities, he received the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in the 2014 New Year’s Honours. He is actively engaged in earthquake recovery issues and as such he was appointed to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Advisory Board on Transition in January 2015. He is also on the Board of Pegasus Health and Ōtākaro Limited - a new Crown company established to deliver key anchor projects and precincts in Christchurch.
Police recruitment seminar in Christchurch - a huge success!
Over 400 Canterburians, many of them migrants, responded to NZ Police's call for a more diverse force on July 16 in Christchurch
Multilingualism: Call for a Canterbury Languages Policy
In what can be termed as a first in the region, Anna Filippochkina of CLANZ (Community Languages Association of New Zealand) and Angela Bland of CANTESOL and TESOLNZ (Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages), organised a workshop for pro-fessional development of community language teachers on July 21.
Children: Shirley International Playgroup for migrants
The playgroup wants to focus on mothers and children who come from refugee and migrant backgrounds. In a safe, fun, and learning environment for both mothers and children, it wants to foster cross-cultural exchange, friendship and understanding. That's why the playgroup welcomes native as well as non-native English speaking mothers and their children.
Multiculturalism: A's International Club Christchurch
Created by Audrey Davies in 2011, the Club has over 360 members representing around 38 countries from around the world
Bastille Day: The French unite
On July 14, 1789, the Parisian crowd seized the Bastille prison, a symbol of royal tyranny. Over all, the French Revolution was a movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799, and was against the feudal regime that had plagued the country for centuries before that.
Migration: Economic benefits - the Reserve Bank's take
Geoff Bascand, Deputy Governor and Head of Operations at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, in a speech delivered to Otago University in Dunedin few months back, explained in detail “how migration affects the economy”. He made some pertinent points, which persuaded this newspaper to report on what he explained. Interested readers may scan the QR code below to read his full speech.
IT: Migration blamed for salary drop
Absolute IT – a North Island based recruitment firm, which claims to “captures over 39,000 real-time contract and permanent employees’ remuneration as entered into itsalaries.co.nz”, has released it's latest Remuneration Report.
Migrants are beneficial to the economy of Selwyn: Mayor
Kelvin Coe, the Mayor of Selwyn district just South of Christchurch, talks about the economic benefits of migrants in his region and how the demographics of Selwyn has changed over the last decade or so.
Timaru: Japanese pottery exhibition
The Aigantighe Art Gallery in Timaru is currently hosting an international touring exhibition of contemporary Japanese ceramics, along with Auckland and Wellington, as one of three New Zealand venues. The exhibition opened on July 1, and will close August 7.
New code: Protecting international students
Realising the importance of international students in New Zealand's education sector, the National Government, has put in place two very important measures since July 1, this year. First is the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code Of Practice 2016 replacing the existing Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students, for which the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the Code Administrator.
Eid Mubarak Canterbury!
The Canterbury Muslim Community Trust, which represents over 3,250 Muslims from 40 different nationalities, who have made Christchurch their new home, organised Eid celebrations in the North New Brighton Community Centre on July 10, 2016. Rob Dewhirst, chairman of the Trust informed, "With celebrations like these, our aim is to build bridges between members of the Muslim community in Canterbury and build bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims."
4th of July: The gun culture
The newly-elected President of the American Club of Christchurch shares her memories of celebrating 4th of July, the American Independence Day, and expresses concerns on the prevalent gun culture back home
Rotorua: A walk of hope
Rotorua woman Faustinah Ndlovu on Saturday, July 9, 2016, walked 21 km balancing a 20 litre bucket of water on her head. It took her a total of 3 hours 33 minutes and the walk raised $1100 in total. This was for her Zimbabwe project Tariro (hope), under which she is working with villagers from her home town in Zimbabwe to build a community early childhood development learning centre in the Mawandu village. She had earlier created a four-metre tall knitted doll that weighed over 90 kg to raise money for the same cause.