Hon Mark Mitchell
Minister for Ethnic Communities

Tēnā koutou katoa. Shalom. As-salamu alaykum.

I would like to acknowledge:

• Your Excellency, The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro
• His Excellency Dr Richard Andrew
• Faith and community leaders - Ibrar Sheikh, President of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand, and Phillip Green from the New Zealand Jewish Community Security Group Charitable Trust
• Police Commissioner, Richard Chambers
• Dr Melissa Derby, Race Relations Commissioner
• Parliamentary colleagues
• And other distinguished guests

It is a real honour to be here today as the Minister for Ethnic Communities for the signing of the Harmony and Peace Accord between Jewish and Muslim organisations.

This is a significant and brave stand taken by leaders of deep conviction, against division, hatred, and fear.

To the leaders here today, you have my deepest respect.

Your commitment to dialogue, to mutual respect, and to standing together in difficult times is something we can all learn from. Thank you for your leadership and for the example you have set.

At a time when global conflicts have placed immense strain on many communities worldwide, and where we are seeing growing Islamophobia and Antisemitism, you have chosen the right pathway for us as country - a path guided by responsibility, not reaction. In doing so, you have shown the very best of leadership.

As Minister, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Jewish and Muslim communities. I have seen firsthand efforts to confront hate that our communities are facing in day-to-day life here in New Zealand.

We acknowledge the pain and pressure felt by our communities, and we understand the deep emotions tied to what is happening in other parts of the world.

This is where our shared values as a country must be a shield to protect our communities, our children and those who are frightened by global conflict to ensure that those conflicts are not imported into New Zealand and do not become divisions of our own.

We are a country shaped by diversity. Whether your ancestors arrived centuries ago or just last year, New Zealand is home to people of every ethnicity, every background, and every faith. That is our strength. And we are guided by Kiwi values - manaakitanga, fairness, and giving everyone a fair go. We believe in respect, in dialogue, and in treating each other with dignity, regardless of difference.

But these values aren’t passive. They are upheld by action. Every New Zealander, whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or of no faith, has a responsibility to help keep our country peaceful and united. That means standing up against hate crime, against racism, and against violence - wherever it tries to take root.

We are fortunate to live in a democracy - one that protects freedom of speech and the right to protest. These are pillars of our society. But with those freedoms comes responsibility: to protest peacefully, to speak respectfully, and to never let those freedoms be twisted into a licence for hatred or intimidation.

Our diversity should never divide us. Whether you are a Jewish Kiwi, a Muslim Kiwi, or a Christian Kiwi, we are, first and foremost, Kiwis. And as Kiwis, we stand together. We will not import hate. We will not allow conflict from abroad to create fear or division at home. We will protect each other through respect, through tolerance, and through peace.

This Accord is a testament to what is possible when brave people choose unity over fear.

Let it be more than a document - let it be a beginning. A beginning of deeper conversations, stronger relationships, and a more resilient, inclusive New Zealand.

Let this moment remind us all that peace is not something we inherit, it is something we build, together.

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