LinkFest – Festival Addresses Disconnection &
Isolation through Connecting Communities

Thousands of people will gather at Papakura Central Park in Auckland this Saturday (3 March) for a festive event to connect Pacific communities with service providers.

LinkFest organiser and respected church leader Joseph Fa'afiu, the founder of HopeWalk, says the 3-hour festival event acts as a “connection point for care services and the community”.

“Disconnection and isolation is a big problem in our communities, so to bring our community together is important," Fa'afiu says. “It allows service providers and agencies to engage with people in a relaxed atmosphere.”

The Festival will be preceded at 10am by the annual HOPE WALK march through the middle of Papakura finishing at Central Park at 10:30am

The inaugural LinkFest event will feature musical performances by Swiss, Ria, TJ Taotua and the Taro Boys, as well as food stalls and lots of information from a variety of providers of health and well-being services.

While there will be many service providers present, the inspiration for LinkFest was primarily around preventing suicides.

“The heart of prevention is what we need to empower individuals, families and communities to connect, communicate, and care,” he says.

Fa’afiu says community-led suicide awareness and prevention is a multi-layered process and LinkFest is one way to empower individuals, families and communities.

LinkFest is a partnership involving the Papakura Local Board, CensusNZ, The Gate Church, Link4Life Project, Pasifika Network, HopeWalk Suicide Prevention Trust, and Counties Health.

More than 3000 people are expected at the free event on Saturday, March 3, from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Papakura Central Park.
ENDS

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