Support from Government for New Zealand’s Ethnic Communities

The Office of Ethnic Communities (OEC) of the Department of Internal Affairs supports ethnic communities in New Zealand. OEC offers access to two services through their website that may interest NZBC members:

  1. Help with the governance, management, marketing, etc. of an ethnic community organisation. An organisation called ‘Appoint‘ helps organisations find expert help in general and specialist areas.

The OEC can also help you find translators and interpreters.

  1. Making a contribution. OEC keeps a database of New Zealanders from ethnic communities who are suitably qualified to be considered for appointment to a number of government boards, committees and advisory groups, including those of Crown companies.

The positions represent an excellent opportunity to contribute to the prosperity and strength of New Zealand’s economy and communities.

They are looking for people with any of the following:

  • Previous experience in regional or national governance roles
  • Previous appointments to governance positions
  • Directors on medium to large enterprises.

If you are interested in being nominated for one of these opportunities and you can demonstrate one of the characteristics listed above, OEC would like to hear from you. Please email the Office.

Invitation to Give Feedback on Religious Diversity Statement

Race Relations Commissioner, Dame Susan Devoy, of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission invites you to participate in the consultation process to review the New Zealand National Statement on Religious Diversity.

Continue reading “Invitation to Give Feedback on Religious Diversity Statement”

Workshops around NZ: Preventing Suicide

Over 600 New Zealanders take their lives every year, with countless more experiencing suicidal ideas or acting on these thoughts in the form of non-fatal suicide attempts.
Studies have shown that around 60% of those who die by suicide, speak to a helping professional in the weeks prior to their death.  All human services professionals need a framework for assessing and intervening with suicidal clients, to ensure that these opportunities for intervention are utilised for the maximum benefit of their at-risk clients.
John Henden is an international trainer, author and therapist from the UK.
He will be running workshops in New Zealand in February/March 2018.

New website

This new website enables the Buddhist Council to update content more quickly, and to provide the Buddhist Council’s aims in different languages. The WordPress site has been developed thanks to many hours of work by Executive Committee assistants Pimmy Takdhada and Robert Hunt, with valuable advice from Tim Wylie in Auckland.

Fo Guang Shan: Confronting Life and Death – A modern Buddhist reflection on life and death.

Venerable Huikai, Fo Guang Shan’s Vice Abbot, will be speaking on this topic in Auckland (also later at Victoria University Wellington and in Christchurch).

This special lecture will be held at Fo Guang Shan North Island Temple on 19th January 2014 at 10:00am.
Please obtain a free ticket for admission or request more infomation by emailing: nzfgs1@gmail.com
More information is also available on the Fo Guang Shan website.

Nyima Tashi Kagyu Buddhist Centre: Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche passes into Parinirvana 24th July 2012

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche died unexpectedly on 24 July, in Australia. He was the spiritual director of the Nyima Tashi Kagyu Buddhist Centre in Auckland, one of the New Zealand Buddhist Council’s member organizations. He was the ninth incarnation of the Traleg tulku line, a holder of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, and a great scholar. We are deeply saddened by this untimely loss. You can read more about him here and here.