A new dedicated Tamil Community Centre has come up in one of New Zealand’s most diverse suburbs of Mt Roskill in Central Auckland that aims to provide a sense of belongingness to all Tamil speaking people in the super city.
Conceived, planned and operationalised by Auckland Tamil Association, the Centre was officially opened and dedicated to the community by the Minister of Transport and local MP, Michael Wood in a small event on Saturday, March 26.
Speaking to the Indian Weekender, Vai Ravindran, President of Auckland Tamil Association (ATA) said, “This centre will give a sense of belonging to our Tamil speaking people in our city.”
“This is a dream come true after many years of planning.”
“For quite some time we have been wanting a place that we can call as our own, where our people, children, youngsters and the members of the community can come together for our various community initiatives,” Vai said.
“We have been hiring Auckland Council community centres for the last six years for all our major events all over the year. But there are many small and mid-sized community gatherings such as seminars, training sessions, dance and cultural practices, language classes etc that requires constant hiring of public spaces,” Vai said.
“This facility aims to fill that gap and provide us with a place that our communities identify as their own and can use it for all their initiatives,” Vai said.
However, they had a clear vision of sharing this community space with all other fellow co-ethnic and the wider community groups affirms the president of Auckland Tamil Association.
“This space will definitely be available for our other Indian diaspora groups and the wider community groups,” Vai said.
“We had invited leaders from other community groups on the Saturday inauguration event and provide them full tour of the facility
Meanwhile, inaugurating the centre, Michael Wood revisited his long connection with the Tamil community and Auckland Tamil Association – which has honoured him with the title of Tamil Selvan - “Son of Tamil” – in 2018.
“I have come to really value my relationship with the Auckland Tamil Association who represent people in our city who hail from the Indian state of Tamil Naidu. The Association excels in bringing people together, providing support where needed, and celebrating the beautiful classical culture and language of the Tamil people. I am thrilled to join President Ravindran Vai and others as ATA opened their new community centre in the heart of Mt Roskill on Hillsborough Rd. Well done to ATA and look forward to seeing the new centre well used. Nandri, Vanakam!”
Language classes and Library planned at Tamil community centre
Sharing further about the immediate roadmap and the larger vision of how this new community centre can act as the hub of all Tamil cultural events Vai, said, “We would like our Tamil language classes from the Onehunga Community Centre to move to this new facility.”
“I will be reaching out personally to many ongoing Tamil language classes organised by passionate individuals from their respective homes to consider using this facility for our mutually shared common objective of promoting Tamil culture,” Vai said.
“We are also working towards establishing and running a full-fledged Tamil library from this centre for language enthusiasts and showcase the rich legacy of the classical Tamil Language,” Vai added.
Indeed, the opening of this new community centre will enhance the diversity quotient of Auckland super city and also Mt Roskill, which holds the unique recognition of being the most diverse suburb of New Zealand (with more than 50 per cent residents of the suburb having born overseas).
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