The Hutt Multicultural Council was established in 1987 to promote and protect the interests of Lower Hutt's diverse ethnic communities. It organizes an annual Race Unity Day celebration and other programs and events promoting cultural understanding. Looking ahead, the Council aims to expand its events, engage more community members, and strengthen relationships with local iwi and government through education, empowerment, and partnership. Key challenges include limited funding, volunteer capacity, and ensuring all cultures feel represented in the Council's work.

1. PROMOTING
MULTICULTURAL
COMMUNITIES:
MULTICULTURAL
COUNCILS IN ACTION

2. Overview
 INTRODUCTION
 CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES
 LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
 STRENGTHS
 ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
 QUESTION TIME

3. INTRODUCTION
 Where is Lower Hutt?

4.  Lower Hutt / Te Awakairangi is a city in the Wellington
region of New Zealand
 It is the tenth largest city in New Zealand in population
(103,000 – 2011 estimate); and covers an area of
376.74km2
 In 2006, 64.9% of the Lower Hutt population was
recorded as being of European descent, 17% Maori,
10% Pacific Island, 8.5% Asian, and 1% from other
Ethnic groups
 Although there is projected to be limited growth to 2031,
the Asian, Maori and Pacific populations will increase up
to 2021 while the proportion of European continues to
decrease

5.  The Asian population is projected to increase most
rapidly, at 2.5% per annum whilst Pacific and Maori
populations experience annual increases of 2.2% and
1.4% respectively.
 In addition to being growing populations, Maori, Asian
and Pacific are also predominantly younger. The median
age of those of Maori, Asian or Pacific descent is also
significantly lower than for the European population.
 Interesting fact about Lower Hutt: its council has adopted the
name Hutt City Council but neither the New Zealand
Geographic board nor the Local Government Act recognise the
name Hutt City. There are actually two cities in the Hutt
Valley: Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt, and the name Hutt City
has sometimes led to confusion.

6. Hutt Multicultural Council
 Officially established in 1987
 Affiliated with the New Zealand Federation of
Multicultural Councils
 Promote and protect the interests of the many different
ethnic groups which make Lower Hutt a multicultural city
and society
 Raise consciousness among the ethnic groups of the
special status of the Maori people as Tangata Whenua
and their special rights under the Treaty of Waitangi

7. Hutt Multicultural Council
 Access to information between ethnic groups and agencies
 Forum to share experiences and friendship
 Enable ethnic groups to give each other mutual support and
strength to deal with issues that affect them all
 Protect against racial behaviour
 Democratic right and decision-making
 Openly express their commitment to New Zealand while at the
same time protecting and sharing their ethnic heritage and
identity

8. CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND
PROGRAMMES
 Hutt Multicultural Council
 Monthly team meetings
 Race Unity Day
 Annual celebration of local
cultural diversity
 Pacific Advisory Committee
 Empowering Pacific Communities through
networking and consultation
 Filifest
 Filipino arts and culture
programme

9. CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND
PROGRAMMES
 Community Networking
 Attending local community organisation meetings and events e.g.
Citizenship ceremonies
 Organising community events i.e Potluck Dinners
 Community Representation
 Advocating for cultural communities of Lower Hutt to local and
central government – LTP, Green Paper, Representation review
 Providing opportunities for the community to be involved in decision-
making process – Hui and Fono
 Community Support
 Distributing information to the community relating to services,
facilities and support
 Promoting local opportunities for refugee and migrant communities

10. Anita Mansell (President – HMC), Alfred Ngaro MP, Tayo Agunlejika (President, NZFMC), Joris
De Bres (Human Rights Commission) and Mayor Ray Wallace (Lower Hutt) at Race Unity Day
2012 at the Lower Hutt Town Hall

12. CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND
PROGRAMMES
 Settling In Project:
Women – Mana Wahine
 Series of workshops for women of refugee and migrant
backgrounds
 Focus on self-empowerment, community connectedness, and
family life in New Zealand (children and youth)
Youth – YOUth Settling In
 Series of workshops for youth of refugee and migrant backgrounds
 Establishing a local youth network with ongoing activities
 Focus on supporting young people transitioning into a new
community, where to get support, where to get involved

13. Leole Malama (Youth Infusion Coordinator) Ephraim Gazo (NZFMC Youth Council
President) Peter-Clinton Foaese (Youth Worker/Advocate) and Tribhuvan Shrestha
(Lower Hutt Nepalese Association and Hindu Council) at Race Unity Day 2012

14. LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
 Funding, sponsors and support
 Securing a paid coordinator to support community lead initiatives
and volunteers
 Providing resources for community use
 Developing information materials for public distribution
 Three E’s – Education, Engagement, and Empowerment:
 Education – raising awareness of what HMC does
 Engagement – organising forums to gauge and engage local
ethnic communities
 Empowerment – empowering the community to establish support
networks and action groups

15. LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
 Events and Activities
 Race Unity Day – expanding the scope and experience to
become a world tour of local culture
 Pacific Festival – exhibition of Polynesian flavours, arts.
crafts and culture
 Youth Lead initiatives – outcome of YOUth Settling In
program, young people initiate their own events to
celebrate their culture and talents
 Social Inclusion – Friendship groups, Special Speakers,
Cooking Classes, Arts and Culture, Information Workshops

16. STRENGTHS
 Strengthening relationships with Tangata Whenua – local Iwi
Te Atiawa, Tenths Trust, Port Nicholson
 Strong relationships with local council and central government
– i.e. location within the Wellington Region
 Improving relationships with traditional migrant communities –
Pasifika, Chinese, European
 Strong core team – cultures and faiths, skills and experience
well represented
 Lower Hutt has many services and organisations that allow for
collaboration and coordination of activities

17. ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
 Visibility of the HMC – people knowing that we are there
to advocate
 Important to not reinvent the wheel – network and
connect to existing programs and services
 Unity in diversity – a true representation of the city
 Security in funding and resources
 Engagement – language and cultural barriers
 Limited volunteer capacity

18. We would like to take the time
to thank our sponsors:
 Ministry of Social Development – Settling In
 Hutt City Council
 Human Rights Commission
 Office of Ethnic Affairs
 Hutt Mana Charitable Trust
 Community Trust of Wellington
 New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils
 And many more…

19. Thank you!
We are happy to answer any
of your questions