Cultural festival summons hope

8 November 2011

Press Release

Cultural festival summons hope

A cultural festival, “Summoning Hope” will be held at Wellington ’s Opera House, on Sunday November 20.

The Peace Culture festival will include 250 performers from diverse groups across New Zealand who will present a wide range of art forms from a mass choir, brass band, Taiko drums; Indian dance, hula, Chinese and butoh to baton and gymnastic performances.

Show producer Emma Willis says the show will be a celebration of life and the human spirit through performing arts.

“This is why we have called it the "Summoning Hope: a performing arts celebration of the warmth and brightness of the human heart”. The ethos is about celebrating humanity through music, dance and culture.

“The event aims to encourage and inspire every person, both audience and performers, regardless of their religion. It is a celebration of the human spirit and its ability to triumph over adversity,” she said.

New Zealand General Director, Jimi Wallace, said the outpouring of assistance and humanity following the Christchurch and North eastern Japan earthquakes showed people have an incredible potential to rise to unimaginable challenges.

“We live in increasingly turbulent times but at the base of all societies is the human heart. While the challenges ahead are great, the capacity of the heart is greater. We are taking a step towards a better world for all by starting with ourselves, by *Summoning Hope!”*

Soka Gakkai International of New Zealand is part of a world-wide grass roots Buddhist lay organisation which promotes peace, culture and education based on humanism.

What: Oceania Peace Festival
Where: The Opera House, 111 Manners Street , Wellington
When: Sunday, 20 November, 11:00am – 12:30pm. Doors open at 10:00am.
Entry is free, a ticket is required.

ENDS

Further information on SGI and SGINZ can be found on www.sgi.org and www.sginz.org.nz.

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