Human Rights, the Treaty and Asian Communities

Dear colleagues,

Please find below information about an upcoming ethnic symposium.

Please do forward through your networks and encourage others to do the same. Thank you.

This is set to be an extremely valuable, enlightening and stimulating community orientated event. A first of its kind...don't miss out! Register now!

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The School of Asian Studies, University of Auckland in association with the Human Rights Commission presents:

Human Rights, Treaty of Waitangi and Asian Communities: A Symposium

10am-4pm
Sunday 13 November 2005

Main Lecture Theatre
School of Engineering

University of Auckland
20 Symonds Street
Auckland City

There is no registration or entry fee for the symposium, but for catering purposes, please register your interest/attend- ance by email to: asianstudies@auckland.ac.nz

PROGRAMME

Opening 10:00am

Introduction:
Sir Paul Reeves 10:10am

The Tangata Whenua Experience
Grant Hawke 10:30am

Morning Tea 10:50am

CHINESE VIEWS 11:05am

1. Dr Manying Ip: "Our Treaty Too?"

2. Steven Young: "The Treaty of Waitangi and
Human Rights: From Bicultural to Multi-cultural"

3. Tommy Tay & Portia Mao supported by Sally Liu:
"Chinese Language Media: Views on the Treaty & Maori"

Questions/comments 12:05pm

Lunch 12:15pm

SOUTH ASIAN VIEWS 12:45pm

Dr. Kumanan Rasanathan & Ruth DeSouza:
"Across the Post-Colonial Divide - Reflections on the Treaty of Waitangi." Speakers introduced by Mervin Singham, Office of Ethnic Affairs

KOREAN VIEWS 1:15pm

Dr. Changzoo Song: "Learning from LA - What Koreans Could Learn beyond Race Relations"

THE YOUNG ASIANS 1:35pm
Tze Ming Mok, Keith Ng & Karishma Kripalani: "Relevance of the Treaty - Now & in the Future"

Afternoon Tea 2:05pm

AN OVERVIEW OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION'S TE MANA I WAITANGI PROJECT 2:20pm
Rosslyn Noonan, Chief Human Rights Commissioner

Plenary Discussion 2:35pm
Chaired by Sir Paul Reeves

Concluding Comments 3:35pm
Sir Paul Reeves

Closing 3:45pm
Tangata Whenua and Dr. Manying Ip

HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE TREATY OF WAITANGI

In New Zealand we have a Bill of Rights and a Human Rights Act, precluding discrimination in both public and private sectors.

New Zealand also has the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty is one of our principal founding documents. It is now routinely regarded as the framework for relations between the Crown and Maori, both for matters of process and for expected outcomes.

* to what extent does that relationship impact on Asian communities?

* How do the Treaty and the modern human rights move- ment relate to each other?

* Can a Goverment maintain and act upon a Treaty with one part of the citizenry appearing to enjoy different rights to other parts?

* Is there room for the Treaty within the human rights frame- work?

* What does all this mean in the fields of health, education, justice, delivery of social services, local government, and employment?

* How does all this impact on the public and private sector, especially for Asian communities?

ENDS