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Nau mai, haere mai!

Welcome to our September Pānui!

It’s the last day of September and even though it’s raining today (it is where I am), spring is here – new growth, new opportunities and new beginnings! We’ve had a very busy September and so this month’s pānui is packed with IACT updates plus a couple of opportunities to get involved with our work.

Remember, we’re here to support you shine the light on the important issues, so if you have anything you’d like us to include in future pānui, on our website or social media, please do get in touch!

Mā te wa, Anusha on behalf of the IACT team

He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero.

What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge. It is communication.

Aroha atu, aroha mai

Let us show respect for each other

Tātou i a tātou katoa

For one another

Hui e! Taiki e!

Bind us all together!

IACT in Action

IACT represented at Christchurch Call Leaders Summit in New York

The Christchurch Call is a community of over 120 governments, online service providers, and civil society organisations acting together to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. We are proud to be a member of the Christchurch Call Advisory Network alongside a long list of civil society groups.

As part of our involvement, our Co-Lead Anjum represented IACT (there she is in the middle, wearing orange, standing behind our PM 🙌) at the Christchurch Call Leaders Summit in New York, and on 21 September we shared a media release with our views on how the event went, and where to from here.

Increasing belonging and inclusion in the Nelson Tasman region

For the last year we have been supporting the Nelson Tasman region to explore ways to increase belonging and inclusion, so that individuals and communities can fully embrace diversity and thrive as a result.

Most recently Graeme and Atarau spent a week hosting workshops to celebrate Welcoming Week 2022 and continue our work in the region. Click HERE read an overview of what we’ve been up to and how you can get involved!

Te Toto Kei Roto Learning Forum

One area of our mahi is Te Toto Kei Roto (a Treaty that resonates with all of us), where we help bring together people who are promoting understanding of Te Tiriti and New Zealand’s past. During 2022, this mahi has evolved into a Learning Forum to build connections between groups with a shared culture and similar mandate.

As part of this Learning Forum, we have been supporting a group of Māori, Pākehā and Asian folks in Eastern Bay of Plenty (EBOP) who are working together to educate and inform their communities about the effects of colonisation and racism. A key part of this is identifying ways to address the increasing backlash occurring in the EBOP community, e.g., in relation to co-governance, Māori Wards and the use of Te Reo in public spaces.

We’ll keep you posted as this community action progresses. If you are interested in joining Te Toto Kei Roto or have any questions, please get in touch with Ruth Gerzon on [email protected].

Anti-racism online event with As You

Next month we’re collaborating with Suki Xiao founder of As You, a coaching and leadership programme for women of colour, for an online anti-racism event. The event will feature an online discussion about anti-racism and a flashcard making activity. Race Relations Commissioner, Meng Foon, will also give a short talk.

When: Wednesday 19 October 2022
Time: 1.00pm – 2.00pm
Where: Online

Click HERE for more information and to register your attendance!

Listen to the IACT story on the Beyond Consultation podcast

Towards the end of August, our Project Co-Lead Anjum was interviewed for the Beyond Consultation podcast series, hosted by Paul McGregor of Business Lab. Business Lab specialises in helping organisations collaborate with their communities, and bring diverse groups together to discuss, decide and take action.

One of their key resources is the Beyond Consultation podcast which interviews people who are collaborating with their community, and delves into the mindsets, methods, failures and lessons learned – all with the goal of increasing the collective impact of organisations. Listen to the podcast HERE.

Get Involved

Keen for a Conversation about Belonging in your community?

Conversations about Belonging is a virtual road trip to collect stories of belonging from communities across Aotearoa New Zealand. We’re keen to collaborate with community organisations across the country to co-host group conversations and ask the questions:

• When do you feel like you belong?
• What stops you from feeling like you belong?
• What needs to change so you feel like you belong?

The data we gather from these conversations will help us identify areas where we can bring people and communities together to increase belonging and inclusion across Aotearoa New Zealand. It will also help us draw out the main themes to guide our project going forward. This is how the data from our 2020 research was used.

It’s important to us that we understand the identities, values and emotions that underpin belonging and inclusion today. It’s also equally important that communities are engaged in solution making and are given space to share and amplify their voices and experiences.

If you’re interested in having a Conversation about Belonging in your community, especially if you haven’t already had one – we’d love to hear from you. Send an email to [email protected] to have a chat.

A more inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand needs collective leadership and action. We invite you and your community to connect with us and others working for an inclusive society.

If there are any individuals or groups in your community/networks who don’t know about us, but would tautoko our kaupapa, please do invite them to subscribe to our pānui or follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. You can also direct them to our website to learn more about us, or they can email us if they have specific questions about collaborating with us.