Human Rights Commission
Media Release
15 June 2007

Newsletter helps connect refugee communities

The Human Rights Commission has launched a refugee focused newsletter in time for World Refugee Day on June 20. The theme for the Day in New Zealand and Australia this year is Voices of Young Refugees.

Te Punanga: Refugee Focus is a monthly newsletter looking at events, projects and activities involving refugees in New Zealand as well as a network that seeks to connect refugee communities and people and organisations working with them.

The first issue of the newsletter focuses on World Refugee Day and includes details of the wide range of activities taking place including exhibitions, workshops, events featuring food, dance and music and even a soccer match.

Two youth specific events are a play telling the story of a Sudanese refugee at next week’s Wellington Secondary Schools Stage Challenge and the screening of a new documentary about Mixit a refugee youth creative arts group in Auckland.

This year is the sixth anniversary of the United Nations designated World Refugee Day which focuses global attention on the struggles and triumphs of the world’s refugee population.

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres said he is keen to see media give a voice to refugee youth by tapping into the many stories of resilience and adaptation that exist within New Zealand’s diverse refugee communities.

To read the first issue of Te Punanga: Refugee Focus go to: http://www.hrc.co.nz/hrc_new/hrc/cms/files/documents/
14-Jun-2007_16-32-38_Te_Punanga_Volume_1_Number_1.doc

ENDS

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