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.

Music and dance: A Bollywood musical coming to Christchurch in April

Music and dance: A Bollywood musical coming to Christchurch in April

Migrants Centre
Ethnic communities, Community organisations, News

(caption for the above picture: Bollywood Dreams performing at a Chinese festival in Christchurch in 2016)

Following from the success of last year’s first-ever dance musical in the South Island, the city-based dance school Bollywood Dreams – a brain-child of 23-year-old dancing sensation and masters student at the University of Canterbury Mr Shawn Thomas - will be presenting its annual performance on two days - April 28 and 29, this year.  

Titled Teri Padosan Rangeela, the two-hour musical will feature 60 performers [all students of Mr Thomas] aged between five and 25, and divided into five groups depending on their dancing skills. As was the case last time, this year too, the musical will feature 45 popular Bollywood dance medleys.

“The demand for tickets last year was so huge that we had to turn people down. That’s why we have decided to perform two shows this year. In terms of the dance school, our aim now is to move beyond the borders of Christchurch and expand our reach to the North Island. We will also be looking for more cultural collaborations and aim to perform at other ethnic communities’ events as well. This we feel would to be the best way to share our music and dance with the wider community," noted Thomas.

Women: Awareness is needed to tackle domestic violence in the South Asian community in Christchurch - Sahaayta

Women: Awareness is needed to tackle domestic violence in the South Asian community in Christchurch - Sahaayta
Muhammad Yunus – the Nobel Peace Prize winner from Bangladesh, coming to Christchurch on April 9

Muhammad Yunus – the Nobel Peace Prize winner from Bangladesh, coming to Christchurch on April 9