Dear readers, we are happy to inform that we have finished analysing the feedback on our last year’s pilot launch of Multicultural Times (MT), New Zealand’s first nation-wide multicultural newspaper. As was the case with our Christchurch-based multicultural newspaper, The Migrant Times (TMT), MT too received innumerable accolades, appreciation and love from all of you. We are also very grateful to various communities, leaders, decision-makers and organisations from across the country who have shown immense faith in the idea of MT, and TMT before that. Based on the feedback, and after a lot of introspection, we have taken two strategic decisions to ensure that we continue to lead New Zealand’s journalism landscape towards diversity and innovation, while staying true to the basic tenets of the fourth estate. 1) The future of journalism is digital. We will continue publishing MT on our various digital media platforms and will cease publication of our print version. The reach, engagement and scope of innovation in the digital space is far superior to print. The financial viability is also superior in digital, due to the trade-off between the cost of production and results achieved. A better reach, engagement, innovation and viability, will ultimately lead to better-quality journalism for our society. 2) The future of journalism is data and artificial intelligence (AI). We are exploring how to use open data and natural language generation techniques to generate quality content and narrative stories, pertaining to local issues relevant to people’s everyday lives. We are immensely excited.

Stay tuned.

Football: Team Lhotshampa (Bhutan) wins Canterbury Soccer League

Football: Team Lhotshampa (Bhutan) wins Canterbury Soccer League

Migrants Centre
Sports, News

(caption for the above picture - The Bhutanese team with supporters , photo courtesy_ BSC)

In a big boost to sub-continental sports, Team Lhotshampa – comprising of members from the 300-strong Bhutanese Society of Christchurch (BSC) – has won the Canterbury Sunday Soccer League Division 5 in its very first attempt. This so because till last year members of the Bhutanese community in Canterbury used to play in the Nepalese team due to low numbers.

Visibly happy, at the award's night organised by BSC to recognise the effort put in by the players, was Silas, who has been the manger of Team Lhotshampa ever since he moved to New Zealand in 2009. “Our goal for next year is to win the Division 4 grade. But before that, the team will be honing its skills at the Canterbury Summer Soccer League,” he said.

The team is also looking forward to the Christchurch Global Football Tournament (CGFT) scheduled in February 2017, where it finished in the top six – out of 20 participating teams – this year.

“We would want to better our CGFT performance in next year's edition,” noted Akash Drupka, President of BSC and captain of the Team Lhotshampa. 

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