Moving to a new city can be challenging, especially from another country. So Hamilton City Council has its first-ever plan in place to give new people a warm manaakitanga (hospitable and supportive) welcome.
It’s called the 2022 Welcoming Plan and is part of Te Waharoa Ki Ngaa Haapori – Kirikiriroa (Welcoming Communities Programme – Hamilton), an initiative to ensure that Hamilton feels like home to anyone who chooses to move here.
The plan ensures Hamilton is more open and accepting, building on existing efforts to embrace cultural diversity and inclusion with 77 actions to progress eight outcomes identified in the Welcoming Communities Standard.
The wellbeing of the community is at the heart of everything Council does. This includes those new to the city.
Underpinning the plan is when newcomers feel welcome, they are likely to enjoy better social connections and stronger economic growth.
As a culturally rich and vibrant community, there are more than 160 ethnicities represented in the Hamilton’s population, with 27.2% of residents born overseas.
Hamilton is an official Refugee Resettlement Centre and has become home to more than 1200 refugees since 2011. People have come from more than a dozen countries, with the highest numbers from Colombia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
A number of community partners and organisations have supported the Welcoming Plan’s development and ongoing collaboration is important to its success.
As the tangata whenua (indigenous people) of Aotearoa and Kirikiriroa, Maaori have a prominent role in Welcoming Plan activities. There are five principles that guide the plan including manaakitanga and whanaungatanga (relationship, kindship, a sense of family connection between people).
An Advisory Group was established last year, with 11 members including Councillor Kesh Naidoo-Rauf and Councillor Mark Donovan to provide direction in developing the 2022 Welcoming Plan for Hamilton.
Councillor Kesh Naidoo-Rauf said: “It’s been my honour to contribute to Hamilton’s first ever Welcoming Plan.
“There is beauty in our difference of thought, heritage and culture. This is what we should be proud to share and celebrate.
“Let’s create a welcoming city for our children and our children’s children, and together let’s continue to make Hamilton a home we can all be proud of.”
More about Te Waharoa Ki Ngaa Hapori / Welcoming Communities
The programme is led by Immigration NZ in partnership with the Ministry of Ethnic Communities, the Department of Internal Affairs and the NZ Human Rights Commission. Welcoming Communities is part of a global movement and was piloted with five regions around New Zealand between 2017-20.
Hamilton City Council was accepted into the national Welcoming Communities Programme in March 2021 alongside 14 other communities. The programme now involves 13 councils across nine regions.
It is anticipated the plan will continue to grow and develop as it is promoted throughout the wider community.
If an organisation is interested in contributing, contact Jovi Abellanosa, Ethnic Development Advisor and Coordinator of the programme on jovi.abellanosa@hcc.govt.nz.