It was an explosion of cultures for one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most iconic festivals, organised by Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board.
The Diversity Festival, a free, fun, whānau event, celebrates the vibrancy of South Auckland’s multicultural community through delicious food, live performances, arts, crafts, exhibitions and displays.
Local board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia says, “People are at the heart of what we do. We support, empower, and celebrate the diversity in our community.
“We are strong and resilient through connections across cultures, neighbourhoods, age, sexual orientation, gender, and different needs so bringing people together for a sense of inclusion and belonging is essential.”
Performances included the Malu Taupou Dance group, Manukau Beijing Opera Society, Zumba with ZSwagg, Pertiwi Indonesia dance group, Emma Everson, Sanskriti School of Passion, Kra KoTo Kra and more.
Apulu shares, “Opportunities lie in promoting, understanding, and celebrating the many cultures of our area.
“This board supports a range of arts and cultural activities that reflect local, ethnic, and cultural diversity including this festival, Matariki, Diwali, Chinese New Year and Pacific language weeks. The mantra for the festival was connecting through cultures and we are proud this is one way we are increasing these connections.”
The Diversity Festival has drawn big crowds since it was first held in 2018 in partnership with the World Council of Sikh Affairs.
Stay up to date
Sign up for your Local Board E-news and get the latest news and events direct to your inbox each month. Or follow us on Facebook.
