Ministry for Ethnic Communities

As we wrap up the year, let’s celebrate the joy, kindness, and traditions that bring us together. Thank you for being part of our diverse and vibrant communities. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone celebrating! #HappyHolidays #EthnicCommunities #CelebratingTogether

Natalie de Boursac, Head of Financial Services, Google NZ, was one of our speakers at our inaugural Ethnic Xchange Symposium. In this interview, Natalie shares her hopes for New Zealand’s ethnic business leaders and explains how AI can help Aotearoa’s business community. Watch more video interviews with speakers, including Government Ministers, High Commissioners, business leaders and entrepreneurs. Find out what they loved most about Ethnic Xchange, and their thoughts about some of the topics explored at the symposium: https://lnkd.in/gfqEFn9i

We just released our latest edition of the Ethnic Voices newsletter. Read the newsletter to learn more about our work, upcoming initiatives, and information for our Ethnic Communities. 👉 https://bit.ly/4fwa0uC In this edition, you will find: ➡️ Chief Executive's foreword ➡️ Key highlights: 🔸Ethnic Evidence: The first Ethnic Communities Indicators Report 🔸Our inaugural Regional Initiative for Ethnic Communities Empowerment event 🔸New resource on our website: Becoming a translator or interpreter for government agencies 🔸Ethnic Xchange wrap-up ➡️ Update from our Ethnic Communities Development Fund (ECDF): 🔸ECDF's first successful webinar and the upcoming quarterly series 🔸Grant Management System update ➡️ Coming together: 🔸Being Seen initiative 🔸Diwali celebration at Parliament ➡️ Highlights from our Ethnic Communities:  🔸The birthday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji event ➡️ Spotlight on other government agencies' initiatives:  🔸Enhancing voter turnout among Ethnic Communities 🔸Have your say on the Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill 🔸Gender pay gap toolkit 🔸Protect yourself and your loved ones from whooping cough Subscribe to our Ethnic Voices to stay updated and share the link with your networks 👉 https://lnkd.in/g7xeJETQ

❓Are you interested in providing translation or interpreting support to the New Zealand public service? Earlier this month, we have shared information on how to become a translator or interpreter for government agencies. Becoming a translator or interpreter is a great way to support our Ethnic Communities and make information more accessible for everyone. Find out more on our website to see what other language services and support are available. 👉 https://bit.ly/4047eZi

Our recent Being Seen engagement series brought people together to explore what it means to belong, and some of the barriers that impact one’s sense of belonging. We partnered with Pan Asian Screen Collective for this unique and innovative initiative which used film as the foundation for engagement.  The Being Seen sessions included the screening of four curated films made by Pan-Asian New Zealand filmmakers. The films explored cultural identity, racism, isolation and inclusion – themes which many people from Aotearoa’s Ethnic Communities can relate to.  Participants were then invited to share their views on some of the themes that emerged from the films. They shared their challenges, hopes and concerns. They spoke about the things that have negatively impacted their sense of belonging and shared the positive experiences they have had.  More than 140 people from diverse backgrounds joined us for these engagements. This was the first time we had used film as a medium to engage communities. The arts can be a powerful medium to bring people together, form connections and encourage understanding and respect. Thank you to everyone who attended and to the Pan Asian Screen Collective for partnering with us.  Find out more about Being Seen in this news story: https://lnkd.in/gDkwaZXr

Did you know that Arabic is spoken by around 12,000 people in New Zealand, with a rich history and incredible cultural influence? Today is the World Arabic Language Day, also known as the UN Arabic Language Day. We celebrate the beauty of the Arabic language and its role in connecting cultures and communities. Keen to learn more about how to greet in Arabic and other languages? Check out our website: http://bit.ly/41AKqBv #UNArabicLanguageDay #EthnicCommunities #ConnectingCommunities

Our Deputy Chief Executive (Strategic Engagement), Malcolm Foo, and Director of National Operations, Kimberley Wu, recently met with ethnic community and business leaders in Christchurch. A site visit to the Canterbury Refugee Resettlement & Resource Centre showed the incredible vision of its leadership in creating communal space–including an urban farm that produces fruit and vegetables–to help refugees and migrants integrate into New Zealand life. We heard exciting ideas from the ethnic leaders in the business and creative sectors and learned about the needs and aspirations of our Ethnic Communities in Christchurch. We look forward to more engagements and meeting more stakeholders across the country.

Peter Chrisp, Chief Executive, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, was one of the panellists on our ‘International trailblazers’ session at our inaugural business symposium. Here, he explains how forums like Ethnic Xchange support the business community by providing a space for people to connect. Watch more video interviews with speakers, including Government Ministers, High Commissioners, business leaders and entrepreneurs. Find out what they loved most about Ethnic Xchange, and their thoughts about some of the topics explored at the symposium: https://lnkd.in/gfqEFn9i

The Government is changing the law to protect New Zealand from foreign interference. You can have your say on this change. Everyone in New Zealand has the right to feel safe, respected and to express their opinions and beliefs freely. Foreign interference is when foreign governments try to interfere in New Zealand’s society and communities, democracy, and economy in a secretive and dishonest way. Our Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice - New Zealand, has also translated information about the Bill into 24 languages to make it more accessible. The translations are to support more people in New Zealand in using their voices by making submissions on this Bill. Read more information that explains what the Government is doing and how you can get involved on our website ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gfstGenX The translated resources are also available to view and download on our website. Submissions are due on 16 January 2025. Learn more about other resources in different languages on our online Language resource hub ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gSsrs_ba

Since we launched our #EthnicEvidence on Monday, we've been flooded with positive feedback, and the enthusiasm from our stakeholders has been inspiring. Many have welcomed it as a 'significant milestone', recognising it as 'the right step towards visualising both the gaps and contributions of ethnic population groups in Aotearoa'. The excitement and anticipation were evident, with some expressing, 'This has taken a very long time', emphasising just how eagerly awaited this initiative was. We're thrilled to see our efforts making such a meaningful impact and are excited for the journey ahead as we continue to shine a light on the diverse communities that enrich New Zealand. Watch this video message from Hon. Melissa Lee, the Minister for Ethnic Communities, about the launch of this groundbreaking report 👇 Find more about the report and the launch event here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g5Zn59Vk Read the report here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gdNsei-S Find out more about our communities in the data here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gKN67KCV