Waikato Museum wins national award for contribution to race relations

The Waikato Museum has been awarded with the Human Rights Commission's New Zealand Diversity Action Programme Award for its outstanding contribution to race relations. The Museum was named as one of 11 recipients of the annual award during a New Zealand Diversity Forum in Auckland on Monday night [August 25].

Recent exhibitions held at Waikato Museum that promote cultural diversity include award-winning exhibition Rare View which focused on Hamilton's Somali community; Keeping Faith, a major community exhibition on different religions in the Waikato; Qui Tutto Bene which featured Italian New Zealanders; and Te Atairangikaahu, the Soaring Hawk of the Dawn which showcased official photographs of the Maori Queen's tangi; as well as a standing exhibition on Tainui.

Waikato Museum Director Kate Vusoniwailala says the Museum is thrilled to receive the award. "Museums not only have the ability to act as agents of social change but have a responsibility to do so. The Waikato Museum has made a real commitment to working with the community and encouraging people to share their stories and celebrate diversity.

"Not only do these exhibitions promote cultural diversity, but they also deliver on the visions outlined in the city strategies to enhance creativity and identity, and social well being," she says.

The other recipients of the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme Awards were: Auckland Interfaith Council; Asia New Zealand Foundation; Changemakers Refugee Forum; Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand; Marlborough Migrant Centre; National Association of ESOL Home Tutors; New Plymouth District Council; TVNZ's Tagata Pasifika; Christchurch Art Gallery; and Waitakere City Libraries.