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We have had a great day celebrating Race Relations Day at our annual Tauranga Multicultural Festival on Saturday 6th March at the Historic Village, and it was thanks to You all for contributing to that success.
I would like to thank our Festival Committee and their families, our volunteers and helpers on the day for your work, creativity and dedication to create a great event.
A big thank you to our sponsors, especially Perry Foundation, Tauranga Charitable Trust, Kiwifestival, Tauranga City, Village on 17th and ANZ bank.
The support from newspapers, radio, Creative Tauranga, Tourism BOP, and printing of posters by GEON helped us greatly in promoting our event to a wide community in the Western Bay of Plenty area and beyond.
Our cultural performers have done their very best this year again, stall holders provided delicious food, exciting arts and crafts, we all have a chance to try new skills in Discovery tents and service providers came in force to provide information to visitors.
Lifestyle sports - Capoeira Brazil, Zumba and Tai Chi added extra dimension to our festival.
I would like to ask the coordinators -Sameli Tongalea for the Cultural Performers, Amita Shah for Food Stall holders, Ann Kerewaro for Service Providers, Barbi Messenger for Art and Crafts, David Leong for compiling video presentation in the TECT theater and Dana Puscas for the Discovery tents to pass this email to your groups with my thanks and real appreciation of their contribution into making this day such a fantastic event.
At last - a big thank you to our official guest,
Polish Ambassador Beata Stoczynska, Polish Consul Slawomir Stoczynski, Embassy of Republic of Poland
MP Simon Bridges,
Mr. Sam Sefuiva, Human Rights Commission, Principal Adviser Race Relations
Inspector Karl Wright-St.Clair –NZ Police, Area Tactical Response Manager
Mr Phil Simpson, Chairman YMCA
Councilor Catherine Stewart
and to our Patron Mayor Stuart Crosby for your support and for officially opening our Festival
Sincerely Yours
Ewa Fenn
President
Details on all Language classes
Language Classes
in
Tauranga Regional Multicultural Council
Centre Forresters Hall, Historic Village
French Beginners
6weeks, from Monday 1st March, 7-9pm book with Emmanuelle on 579 3045, emmanuelle.heatley@yahoo.co.nz
French Intermediate
6weeks, from Tuesday 2nd March, 7-9pm, book with Emmanuelle on 579 3045, emmanuelle.heatley@yahoo.co.nz
Russian Beginners
6 weeks from Wednesday 10th March, 7-9pm, book with Iryna on 543 9125 or 027 2513793, iryna@clear.net.nz
Italian Beginners
6 weeks from Thursday 4th March, 7-9pm, book with Marco 021 02923077
English
full term, from Thursday 4th March 9.30-11.30am, $2 per class, with Dana, book in office 5716419 enquiries@ethnictauranga.org
For other language classes run in other locations please contact tutors:
Spanish – Elsa on 577 6713, elsaygordon@hotmail.com
German – Uschi on 576 9649 uschi@clear.net.nz
All classes can be also booked through office on 5716419
Payments to be made directly to tutors
Activities Term 1, 2010
Craft class – Thursday from 11.30 with Nina Payne – embroidery, card making
Gardening advice – with Marianne –ring office on 5716419 for appointment
Wednesday coffee mornings from 10.30– for Newcomers Network – open to everyone.
Come in for coffee and chat and you might meet new friends and get information and advice.
TREC releases time table for JP Clinics
Justice of the Peace
Clinic
TREC Office
Forrester’s Hall
Historic Village at 17th Avenue
12pm – 2pm - Jatinder Kaur – English, Punjabi and Hindi
10am -12pm - Nina Payne – English and Filipino
Evenings – by *appointment only - Sandy Stewart – English, Maori, Russian interpreter available
*For appointments, please phone the office 5716419 (if unattended, leave a message)
or phone Ewa on 5771644
TREC members win Community Spirit Awards
TREC founding member Nina Payne won the Cultural category, while TREC member and Project Green coordinator Zahirul Alam was named the Supreme Winner, at the awards which were presented on Monday, November 17. A Justice of the Peace, Nina is also involved in supporting Waipuna Hospice, Tauranga Women’s refuge, Ethnic Women Support Group and Tauranga District Federation of Women’s Institutes. Members of the TREC committee, including 2008 - 2009 Executive Committee President Ewa Fenn, were on hand to lend their support to the award winners.
Celebrating Maori culture. What a night!
Hello to our Maori friends, Te Ata and Lois and your families and friends. To Sameli, who organized it all, and to Alessandra, who helped and supported the group.
On behalf of us all we would like to thank you and everybody who contributed to our July Living in Harmony - "Celebrating Maori Culture" which was focused on Maori language, since at the end of the month, we have Maori Language week
About Tauranga Regional Ethnic Council
Tauranga Regional Ethnic Council Inc. (TREC) is an incorporated society managed by a committed group of volunteers who have a desire to promote and protect the interest of ethnic groups which make up New Zealand's multicultural society. Any ethnic group, society, organisation or individual is welcome to become a member of TREC.
Aims and Objectives
- To promote and protect the interests of many different ethnic groups which make New Zealand a multicultural society.
- To raise the consciousness among the ethnic groups of the status of the Maori people as the Tangata Whenua and their rights under the Treaty of Waitangi.
- To assist Government and local Government agencies consult with ethnic groups in Tauranga.
- To provide a forum for the ethnic groups to share experiences and friendships.
- To enable the ethnic groups to give each other mutual support and strength to deal with issues which affect them, to speak with one voice on those issues.
- To protect the democratic rights of ethnic groups to participate in decisions which affect them.
- To enable the ethnic groups to openly express their commitment to New Zealand while at the same time, protecting their ethnic heritage and identify.
For further information, please contact any of the members of the 2008 — 2009 Executive Committee:
Ewa Fenn, President. ewa.fenn@ethnictauranga.org
Barry Reid, Vice President. barry.reid@ethnictauranga.org
Amita Shah, Treasurer. amita.shah@ethnictauranga.org
Ann Kerewaro, Secretary. ann.kerewaro@ethnictauranga.org
Or visit our office at:
Historic Village, 17th Avenue West, Tauranga. Tel./Fax: 07 5716419
