Twenty-one people from across the globe were officially welcomed as New Zealand citizens on Monday 5 May, marking the first ever Kaipara citizenship ceremony to be held at the Mangawhai Golf Club venue.

The ceremony was led by Kaipara District Council Mayor Craig Jepson, who reflected on the occasion's importance for both the new citizens and the township itself.

“Today is a milestone not only for each of you as new Kiwis, but also for Mangawhai as this is the first time a citizenship ceremony has been held here” said Mayor Jepson. “It’s a privilege to run this ceremony. I know that moving countries is no small step, and many of you have been part of this community for a long time. Your presence here enriches Kaipara in so many ways.”

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Mayor Jonathan Larsen, and elected members Rachael Williams, Mike Howard, Mark Vincent, and Ash Nayyar, alongside Resident Naval Officer Lieutenant Commander Michael Smith representing the New Zealand Government and JP Steve Wood.

Mangawhai Beach School Kapa Haka group added a special element to the proceedings with their waiata (song) and haka in the welcome and the ceremony conclusion.

The 21 new citizens represented 14 countries, highlighting growing diversity of the district. From the Philippines to Germany, South Africa to Zambia, each individual brought a unique story and now shares a common identity as a citizen of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Among those welcomed was Peniamina, originally from Samoa, who has lived in Kaipara for the past five years. Maren who moved from Germany in 2001, also received her citizenship, alongside Helen who arrived in New Zealand as a 10-year-old and has now completed a journey decades in the making.

German couple Meinolf and Ursula, who have called New Zealand home for the past decade, summed up the spirit of the day simply: “We are proud to be New Zealanders now.”

Those welcomed as citizens in the 5 May 2025 ceremony included Elerie (Philippines), Aliaksandr (Belarus), Sean (Philippines), Marco (Netherlands), Robert (Germany), Anna (Australia), Suzanne (United Kingdom), George (United Kingdom), William (United Kingdom), Michael (United Kingdom), Petra (Czech Republic), Ursula (Germany), Meinolf (Germany) Peniamina (Samoa), Maren (Germany), Mark (Ireland), Camille (France), Twane (South Africa), Bwalya (Zambia), Helen (Australia), and Laddaporn (Thailand).

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