Shakti NZ’s ‘Trans-Tasman’ conference to address racial equity

Community organisation Shakti NZ is organising a one-day conference in Auckland in June to address the rise of racism in New Zealand and discuss ‘Trans-Tasman’ approach to facilitate racial equity.

The one-day conference will deal with the subject “Let’s Deal With It!- A Trans-Tasman Collaboration Towards Facilitating Racial Equity” at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall on June 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“March 15, 2019, marks one of the most tragic events Aotearoa, New Zealand has ever experienced. The massacre that took place in Christchurch is heartbreaking, and as an organization working with migrant and refugee communities for more than 25 years, we are also mourning with the rest of New Zealand,” a press release from Shakti NZ said.

Keeping in mind and taking into context the importance of having a Trans-Tasman approach to xenophobia, Shakti has already lodged two campaigns “Lets Deal With It!” and “We Are Different, But We Are One”.

The purpose of the conference is to have an open dialogue with religious and community leaders and address that we are different, but we are one.

The conference aims to collaborate with communities within New Zealand and across the Tasman, and develop the key messages to drive the campaign, to reduce racism, discrimination, micro-aggression and radicalization so that such tragedies can be prevented for occurring again.

As media plays an important role to send the message across to the communities, the conference will also discuss how to use media platforms to reduce prejudice and discrimination. The goal is to identify and deal with all forms of xenophobia and racism.

The conference will work on raising awareness of the existing socio-political dimensions, the political processes adopted in New Zealand and Australia, and examine what needs to happen to promote active citizenship and healthy integration of immigrant communities within the broader communities.

The conference will also focus on migrant and refugee women’s empowerment and development, an awareness of cultural oppression within, discrimination from the outside, and how to facilitate a safe and secure society for them and their families.