With a variety of free activities including delicious food, henna art, bouncy castles, rangoli design and live music, the day was a tremendous success, culminating in a sold-out evening performance.
Glenda and Janine from Sunrise who volunteered to help out at the event said the atmosphere and support from the community were fabulous. Evening performances featured Bollywood-style dance groups The Garagewalas and Desibeat from Auckland, as well as many local performers.
TMC president Arish Naresh said, "We were happy with the high level of engagement at the festival and it was great to see so many families attending."
Henna art was one of the many activities on offer at the free Diwali Festival of Lights event.
“In the spirit of giving, we organise the event at no cost to attendees and it’s the only Diwali event in New Zealand where food and other refreshments are served for free,” says Arish Naresh, TMC President. “All of this is made possible through the generous grants from funders such as Sunrise Foundation.”
Arish says the day provided an opportunity to share their culture with the wider public while preserving their culture and traditions for future generations.
The event had wonderful support from people in the community of all ages throughout the day.
Sunrise is proud to support TMC who play a vital role for migrants in Tairāwhiti by promoting migrant and multicultural events, advocating for migrant rights, and helping foster greater relationships in the wider community.
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