Hello everyone Another busy few weeks among the ethnic communities where I attended the Buddhas Birthday

celebration at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple and the Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Wellington. Buddhas birthday a colourful event The theme for this years Buddhas Birthday was Love and Peace Prayer which was celebrated on Saturday 20 April. The temple has been badly damaged but, with typical Canterbury can do attitude, this years ceremony was held in a tent next door to the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple in Riccarton Road. The Christchurch Buddhist community is well-known for its energy, enthusiasm and community spirit and is a great asset to our city. After the earthquakes the Fo Guang Shan Buddhists opened their temple to emergency workers and provided more than 2500 meals. They also made a significant donation to the disaster fund for immediate relief. Buddhas Birthday is an important event in the Buddhist calendar and our local Buddhist community celebrated with Hare Krishna, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Christian guests. There was a dragon dance and a Scottish pipe band and I really enjoyed the colour and life and diversity that the celebration of Buddhas Birthday brings to our city.

Venerable Abbess Manshin was joined by a host of dignitaries to mark the occasion.

Hare Krishnas entertain the guests. Focus on Pacific issues at forum This years Pacific Parliamentary Forum ran for five days at Parliament. It was an opportunity for leaders from throughout the Pacific to get together and discuss challenges facing the region The annual forum focused on giving younger and new leaders opportunity to debate topics of relevance to the Pacific and provide their insight into such issues as regional leadership, democracy, climate change, health issues, and gender equality. It was a great opportunity for New Zealands politicians to mix with our Pacific colleagues as we all want the best for our region and need to work together to achieve this.

The closing of the Pacific Parliamentary forum at Ptaka in Porirua.

Minister of Pacific Affairs Hekia Parata, MP Katrina Shanks and Nicky Wagner, MP for Christchurch Central.

The delegation from Vanuatu at the Pacific Parliamentary Forum. Aspiring Leaders come forward!.. just a reminder. Each July around 160 young leaders between the ages of 18 and 30 meet together in Wellington for the annual Aspiring Leaders Forum on faith and values to discuss the principles that underpin leadership. The Forum is privately funded and every year I sponsor a young person from Christchurch so it is free for the young person to attend.

I invite you to nominate a young leader in your community who you think is outstanding in their field and shows long term leadership capacity. Last year I was proud to support Manin Mengistie and before that Yoonha Park and Fine Koloamatangi, in their experience as a Aspiring Leaders. All have found it an interesting and challenging experience and great opportunity to learn and develop. Inspiring as well as aspiring!! If you need more information you can look at their website at
http://www.aspiringleaders.org.nz

Kind regards,

Nicky Wagner MP for Christchurch Central

Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160 DDI: +64 4 817 6633 Fax: +64 4 473 0469 email: nicky.wagner@parliament.govt.nz www.nickywagner.co.nz 103 Salisbury Street P.O. Box 21359 Christchurch 8143 DDI: +64 3 365 8297 email: chchoffice@nickywagner.co.nz

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