Close to fifty kaimahi and ākonga carried placards calling for unity during a Peace Hīkoi, organised by Unitec’s Spirituality Oversight, Advocacy, and Reference Group (SOAR), on Tuesday, 18 March.
While the occasion marked the sixth anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque attacks in 2019, when 51 lives were lost and 40 more injured; it was also an opportunity for individuals to reflect on recent world events.
The Hīkoi began with karakia and reflections at the Events Kitchen in Te Puna. Participants were invited to create their own peace banners for this event, and these were carried to He Maumaharatanga (Memorial Grove). The remembrance ceremony was held at the mosque attacks commemoration plaque next to the olive tree.
Subject librarian Adrian Jenkins attended the hikoi and spoke about the close connection he felt to the mosque attacks having come from Christchurch. He said it was important to embrace all people in Aotearoa, regardless of where they come from.
“You are welcome in this country,” he said to the ākonga in attendance, most of whom were international students.
Unitec Student Council member, Claire Johnston, read from the World Peace Prayer which can be found in the ‘A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa’, “Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace.” She ended the prayer in song – a beautiful rendition of Pōkarekare ana.
Peace Hīkoi organiser, Ricky Waters, from Unitec’s Chaplaincy and Multi-faith Team, was pleased with the attendance and how the event went.
“It was great to have an entire English Language class and their teacher attend – these are mostly Refugee background students,” he explained. “A number of them read the prayers that were handed out which was a great contribution, especially as English is not their first language.”
Waters says the Peace Hīkoi is an annual event aimed at honouring the past while promoting peace and understanding for the future.
Thank you to all who participated in the Peace Hikoi. I love the format of commemoration of March 15 Christchurch massacre- the Peace March, the kind words, the prayers.
A special thank you to Dr Ricky Waters for organising it.
Tena koe, The Peace Hikoi was an excellent opportunity to promote peaceful relationships here at Unitec.
Thank you to Ricky Waters for your leadership and the many people who became involved.
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