What makes us who we truly are? Ask yourself.
It is this question that has been the central focus of an initiative started by the Christchurch City Council and Office of Ethnic Communities. It is called the Heritage Strategy. Its aims is to show the collective identity of Christchurch today. A Christchurch that is a melting pot brimming with culture from all over the globe. It wants to showcase our collective identity. It wants to create a new shared identity that reflects the past, present and future of our Christchurch.
Nawawi Center has played an important role in explaining the heritage of our stunningly diverse community. Together with other organisations including An-Nur Childcare and the Somali Youth Association, we recently participated in the Heritage Strategy’s final consultation workshop.
The workshop began with an address by City Councilor Jimmy Chen stressing the importance of the Heritage Strategy and the vital role of public consultation. The workshop then went into a panel discussion with leaders from the Indian, Italian and Polish communities. They discussed the need for the protection of languages, the photographic documentation of a community’s history, and the difference between integration and assimilation.
The workshop concluded with small group discussions focusing on two key points. First, assessing what exactly heritage includes. This led to groups identifying elements such as language, customs, and ancestry. Second by discussing ways that the heritage of our communities can be preserved for later generations in Christchurch. This included the integration of Heritage in educational curriculum, preserving historical records, and organizing important events and celebrations.
It was a constructive and informative evening. We are now waiting for the Draft Heritage Plan to be published and we will be making submissions on your behalf. To help us provide better advice regarding heritage we would love your participation.
Let us know what is important for you here.
