The design features a map of New Zealand with the words: ‘Aotearoa, we all belong’, translated into 30 of New Zealand’s community languages. Burmese, Hindi, Samoan, Chinese, NZ Sign Language and Te Reo Maori are included, as well as space for people to write the phrase in their own language if it’s not there.
The poster celebrates International Mother Language Day (21 February) and Race Relations Day (21 March), with the Hu
man Rights Commission and UNESCO both supporting the initiative.
English Language Partners New Zealand (ELPNZ) and the Community Languages Association of New Zealand (CLANZ) are behind the initiative to highlight New Zealand’s diversity.
The 2013 Census identified New Zealanders as increasingly multilingual, with a reported 737,910 people able to speak two or more languages. The country’s growing diversity was also signalled through the 11.2 % of people who now identify with more than one ethnic group.
“There are so many ethnicities in our country today; together we all make up the unique place that is our New Zealand,” said Nicola Sutton, Chief Executive of ELPNZ. “The map’s different languages represent us as a nation in a creative and colourful way.”
Sunita Narayan, President of CLANZ said: “It’s exciting to think our country has grown so much in its diversity over recent years. We all have a place here. Today’s Kiwis speak a myriad of languages and enjoy and share the variety of cultural celebrations and international cuisine.”
