NEWS RELEASE
4 August 2008

Tour South-East Asia without leaving Wellington

Many people find the best thing about visiting South-East Asia is the ambience of busy night markets full of delicious food. Now six Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries; Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are taking the best of their home culture to the TSB Bank Arena on Saturday 16 August.

The Cambodian and Myanmar communities will also be there with culinary delights, craft stalls and performances to keep visitors’ appetites whetted all day. Entertainment on the day will be non-stop, with martial arts demonstrations, batik painting demonstrations and traditional Asian games – and all for free.

The night market comes to Wellington through the ASEAN Committee of Wellington, with the help of Wellington City Council and the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

The Council’s Recreation Portfolio Leader, Councillor John Morrison, is excited that a market like this will be held in Wellington for the first time.

“It will demonstrate to all Wellingtonians the important contribution South-East Asian communities make to our city,” Cr Morrison says.

“And of course, it is not all just about the food, much as we all love the cuisine from that part of the world. There will be craft stalls and performances of all kinds, from elaborate Indonesian shadow puppetry to Philippine and Vietnamese martial arts and Thai kick-boxing.”

The market starts at 2pm and runs until 10pm, making it a fun day for families, or for people to go along at night-time for a late bite to eat. Admission is free.

The Singapore High Commission and Royal New Zealand Plunket Society will hold a charity raffle and the ASEAN Committee of Wellington will channel proceeds from stall rentals to the Wellington City Mission.

ENDS

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