Under-Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities celebrates diversity in Hawke's Bay

Michael Wood, Labour MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities visited Hawke's Bay yesterday. Photo/Duncan Brown.

The cultural diversity of Hawke's Bay was celebrated last night, with an event promoting the importance of unity and culture.

The seventh Asians in the Bay awards, held at the Havelock North function centre, were attended by more 150 people, including the mayors of Napier and Hastings and prominent members of the community.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities, Michael Wood and Labour List MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan made a flying visit to attend the event - suspected to be the first of its kind in the country.

"When you see people from your community who are succeeding and being recognised, it gives people a sense of pride, a sense of belonging and it creates a feeling that your community is accepted and valued here. That has got to be good for people in terms of their own morale and their own willingness to contribute.

"One of the things we are seeing alot with the work that we do is that increasingly ethnic community's are shifting from being on the edge to being at the centre of communities.

"We've reached a point in New Zealand, where ethnic communities are part of the fabric of towns and cities and events like this really recognise that."

Radhakrishnan said it was about ensuring we value others.

"We try and get around the regions to see what different groups are doing and what work we can support and Hawke's Bay is definitely on the list as well.

"In the same way it has been an eye-opener for us to be here, there's still not a very good understanding of how diverse some of our provinces are and that is a really good message to get out there."

About 62 ethnic groups are represented in Hawke's Bay.

Chair of the Tukituki Labour Electorate Committee, Anna Lorck joined the pair.

Event organiser and multicultural association of Hawke's Bay president Rizwaana Latiff said the awards were the biggest event on the association's calendar.

"It's about seeing the community come together and to recognise the significant contribution the Asian community has in Hawke's Bay," she said.

The categories included best community, restaurant, business, practising professional, as well as best secondary and tertiary student.

Human Rights Commission Strategic Advisor Race Relations, Rakesh Naidoo was the key note speaker for the event.