Dunedin council launches welcome video for former refugees

Dunedin City Council and the Dunedin Former Refugee Steering Group have launched a welcome video to support the settlement journey of refugees in New Zealand.

The video will be shown at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre, where refugee-background families spend their first six weeks in New Zealand before moving to communities across the country.

Since becoming a refugee resettlement location in 2016, Dunedin has welcomed hundreds of former refugees who have made the city their home.

In March 2019, the first intake of Afghan former refugees arrived in Dunedin. Prior to this, the city became home to refugee communities from Cambodia, Iraq, Iran and several African nations.

Council Team Leader Community Partnerships, Mai Tamimi says the welcome video was developed following recommendations from the Dunedin Former Refugee Steering Group, a council-mandated advisory group established in 2017. The group includes representatives from government and non-government organisations, alongside community members with lived refugee experience, and provides guidance on long-term settlement and inclusion initiatives.

A distinctive feature of the video is its opening welcome from mana whenua, with representatives from Puketeraki Marae and Ōtākou Marae sharing messages of manaakitanga and belonging.

The video also introduces new arrivals to the people, places and services that support settlement in Dunedin, including education, health, community services, recreation opportunities and cultural connections.

“Coming from cultures that have existed for millennia, former refugees experience many challenges while starting new lives in this relatively young society. This video is a very small step that welcomes people and offers them a brief introduction to the values, communities and services that make Dunedin a welcoming place to live, learn, play, innovate and belong,” said Chair of the Dunedin Former Refugee Steering Group, Councillor Marie Laufiso.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/DEZf64hFcGg. More information: Refugee support – Dunedin City Council.