Welcoming Week / Te Wiki O Manaaki
Welcoming Week - a celebration of diversity and inclusion - begins this Friday, 6 September, and runs until next Sunday, 15 September.
This marks the first time that our district is celebrating Welcoming Week since it was first observed in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2022. The event showcases a strong cross-collaboration between various organisations and the council, highlighting our collective commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community.
It’s the perfect opportunity to honour the values that unite us as neighbours, parents, and colleagues. Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with over 200 different ethnicities and a quarter of all people born overseas. Our diversity is a strength, making the country a vibrant and attractive place to be.
For this year’s Welcoming Week, let’s roll out the welcome mat and celebrate the things that unite us in Queenstown Lakes District. No matter what language you speak or where you were born – we’re glad you’re here!
Community partners along with council are host a series of free events throughout Welcoming Week in both Queenstown and Wānaka, each designed to bring people together and create a sense of belonging and connection. From business workshops and fitness classes to film screenings and community planting days, there’s something for everyone.
Help celebrate this special week and create a warm and welcoming place in our community. Check out the events below and come along – we look forward to seeing you there!
Full details are available at www.qldc.govt.nz/community/welcoming-communities/welcoming-week/ or on QLDC’s Facebook page.
Welcoming Week Queenstown
- 6 September: Your Muslim Neighbour
- 7 September: Take Your Business to the Next Level | Lleva Tu Emprendimiento al Siguiente Nivel (in Spanish)
- 7 September: Community Planting Day
- 9 and 12 September: Learn to Swim for Adults Only
- 10 September: Community Draw
- 11 September: International Storytellers Film Series
- 11 September: Migrant wellbeing and how workplaces can make a difference (webinar) with Revolutionaries of Wellbeing
- 12 September: Teaching Dynamic Yoga (in Spanish)
- 13 September: Teaching Friendly Fitness (in Spanish)
- 14 September: Community Planting Day
- 14 September: Saturday Arts Social
Welcoming Week Wānaka
- 28 August - 8 September: Paralympics Challenge
- 7 September: Community Planting Day
- 8 September: Squash and Potluck
- 10 September: Language Lounge
- 11 September: Nursery Planting
- 11 September: Migrant wellbeing and how workplaces can make a difference (webinar) with Revolutionaries of Wellbeing
- 15 September: The Flavours of Mexico - A Mexican Culinary Workshop
- 17 September: Wao Film Night - Migration
