Continuing its mission to drive intercultural connections and participation, Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board recently held its Diversity Forum in Manukau.
The forum is held three times a year but what made this one rather special was the iftar dinner organised in partnership with the Pearl of Islands Foundation for the Muslim community as they broke fast during the month of Ramadan.
The evening brought together more than 60 attendees from diverse communities the area is home to and gave them a chance to learn more about each other’s cultures.
Local Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia said it is important for the local board to celebrate local heritage and diversity to increase inter-cultural connections and participation.
“It feels great to celebrate and break bread with our Muslim brothers and sisters through our annual iftar dinner at the Diversity Forum.
“This rich diversity of culture, ideas, and experiences in our local board area is our strength and with that, we will build an inclusive Auckland.
“The aim of this forum is to make people from different ethnicities and faiths feel welcome and safe, and give them a sense of belonging. ”
Race Relation Commissioner Mr Meng Foon, who was one of the key speakers for the evening, said events like these are very important for our communities to participate in.
“We can tell our stories in a safe environment, suggest new ideas for people to take home.
“With the diversity of people that are in Aotearoa now, it’s very important that we know about each other’s culture and respect each other’s ways of doing things. The more that we see of each other, the better Aotearoa would be.”
The Diversity Forum provides a chance for local board residents from various ethnic backgrounds to understand and educate each other about their culture, share information about support available, and opportunities to grow, through dialogue and knowledge sharing.
The event is free and open to the public. If you would like to attend the next one, you can express your interest by emailing otarapapatoetoelocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
