Media Release

April 27 2006

Waitakere City - Peace City

Waitakere plans to declare itself an official Peace City.

Following a recommendation in the Mayor Bob Harvey's April report, Council officers will now investigate how to progress the initiative which will enable Waitakere to celebrate its history of peace and effectively show its commitment to a more peaceful future.

The Peace City declaration also paves the way to create an atmosphere for the development of a Culture of Peace as promoted by UENSCO.

In preparing his report Mayor Harvey liaised with the Peace Foundation which is currently gearing up to invite local Councils to consider how they might best mark the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Nuclear Free New Zealand Act on June 4 next year.

"The anniversary needs to be part of our thinking and it can be a focus of our deliberations and deliveries," said Mayor Harvey.

"The first step is a report to Council and while I don't want to pre-empt that report it will include a number of initiatives that we will need to set up and undertake such as a Peace City homepage on our website, peace displays and signs and maybe a Peace Festival. Ideally I would also like to see a Peace Park established, featuring a Peace Bell."

Mayor Harvey said he had been thinking about the Peace City idea for some time however his thoughts had been focused by Anzac Day.

"Through the sadness and memory of Anzac Day, we can perceive hope and a better world."

ENDS

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