Celebrating International Migrant’s Day

Media Release

Celebrating International Migrant’s Day – 18 December

On Thursday we acknowledge the contribution migrants make in our communities and workplaces during the United Nation’s International Migrant’s day.

Today nearly 24% of New Zealanders were born overseas. In Auckland 37% percent of our population are newcomers to New Zealand.

Newcomers to New Zealand are important to our region because they bring new skills and new knowledge as well as fresh ideas and different ways of doing things.

Settlement Support New Zealand is there to help these newcomers to settle in their new communities by providing a local point of contact and local settlement information.

“We are here to help connect newcomers to their local communities. It’s important we help these people to settle quickly so they can become part of their new communities and workplaces’, says Bevan Chuang, Settlement Support Coordinator – Auckland City.

Auckland Regional Migrant Services marked the day with Christmas lunch, carol singing, sharing of migrant stories and Christmas traditions from across the world. The event helps to facilitate intercultural understanding between newcomers and the general public.

There are 19 Settlement Support New Zealand initiatives around New Zealand, funded by the Department of Labour. Settlement Support New Zealand in Auckland City is based at Auckland Regional Migrant Services in Three Kings.

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