All posts by Peace & Social Justice Group
Standing on the Side of Love
Standing on the Side of Love is the way our church supports marriage equality and the rights of the LGBTQI community. Auckland Unitarian Church held the first legal same sex marriage in New Zealand in 2013.
We are a welcoming congregation. What does that mean?
Farewell Meeting
On Saturday, 18 February the Indian students, having had confirmation that all legal and political avenues to challenge their deportation orders have been exhausted, held a final public meeting to thank all their supporters and members of the Auckland Unitarian Church for giving them sanctuary. They are currently making arrangements to return to India voluntarily. Continue reading Farewell Meeting
Supporters Rally 11th February – Videos
The students and supporters explain their situation in more depth than your usual media soundbite allows.
All videos available on a YouTube playlist, or watch individual videos below. Continue reading Supporters Rally 11th February – Videos
Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Waitangi Day – What REALLY happened
is an entertaining, colourful docu-drama about the days leading up to and including the signing of the treaty, revealing the incredible story and the characters behind the treaty’s creation. Now available at NZOnScreen.
How can you help?
The students have now returned to India, but the fight continues to support this group of students to achieve the educational and work related goals which they were expecting when they came to NZ. Please give what you can via our givealittle page.
How can you help?
Indian Students facing deportation.
On 5th February our church considered an emergency request by Indian students for support from the congregation. The students are facing deportation from New Zealand and were asking for “symbolic” sanctuary. The idea of sanctuary, where a religious building can be used to protect those sought by the authorities, is an ancient practice but has no standing in NZ law. So, more specifically, the students were asking to be provided a place to stay while they make their case in the court of public opinion. This request was made last Thursday through a Catholic deacon involved in peace and social justice matters. It was clear from our conversation that all their appeals to Immigration NZ had been exhausted and other options were not apparent. Continue reading Indian Students facing deportation.
Peace and Social Justice Group Update
An update from Paul Henriques on the recent work of the Peace and Social Justice Group.
Article in Quest (scroll to P4) re Samoan Dyslexia Aid Project.
Jammies In June
The “Jammies in June” programme is run by the Middlemore Foundation through which individuals and organisations such as Auckland Unitarians can donate pyjamas for children in South Auckland.
The Foundation started this programme because too many kids in the Counties Manukau were getting sick in winter with preventable illnesses such as Acute Rheumatic Fever.
In 2015 & 2016, our church got in behind this call. It was a fun project, and each year, the congregation donated around 50 pairs of warm night wear, including pyjamas, onesies, socks and robes.
Samoan Dyslexia Aid article in Quest, Spring 2016
Quest is the journal of the Australia New Zealand Unitarian Universalist Association.
Follow this link to a detailed article on the early years of the Samoan Dyslexia Aid Project in the Spring 2016 issue. See pages 4-7.