NZ ideas for

GULED Mire, Muslim community advocate

‘‘Racism is deadly. Sadly, it took a national tragedy and a deadly massacre on Kiwi Muslims for New Zealanders to realise the harsh reality that racism can kill. If we are to be safe in our country, we must never tolerate racism in Aotearoa. Let’s make March 15 the catalyst for change by giving nothing to racism. There is a role for every one of us in this space. It shouldn’t be up to resettled communities to fight racism on their own. Integration is a twoway process and it’s time for host societies to play their part. My challenge to readers is to call out racism. Don’t say nothing, don’t look away. Be courageous and bold and call out that casual racist joke by a friend at the pub, or the derogatory remark by an Uncle at Christmas. Give nothing to racism to keep our country safe for everyone.’’

SIMON BRIDGES, LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY

‘‘March 15 has made all New Zealanders, including myself, think more about tolerance and diversity. We should celebrate that. We still have a long way to go but this tragic event has ensured we are more focused.’’

PAULA PENFOLD, AWARDWINNING STUFF CIRCUIT JOURNALIST

‘‘In the wake of the mosque attacks, during the making of the Stuff Circuit documentary Infinite Evil, we met Imam Mustenser Qamar and Mohamed Anas Raheem of the ‘‘Meet a Muslim’’ initiative. They go around the country trying to meet as many New Zealanders as possible at coffee shops, exhibitions, in street campaigns, in an effort to introduce and explain Islam to people who have no direct experience. While they regularly cop comments like

‘‘F... Islam and ‘‘There is no place for Islam in New Zealand’’, they’ve patiently learned there’s often a root cause for antiMuslim sentiments, even if it’s as indirect as negative media, and that when people can identify why those feelings have arisen it’s easier to address the problem. Ultimately, it’s about realising we all share goals and aspirations and have more in common than not: it’s about losing the fear of the unknown.’’

ROSE LU, AUTHOR

‘‘The behaviours and customs of

Pa¯ keha¯ culture are considered so ordinary and so commonplace that they are not explicitly described. If you are a Pa¯ keha¯ that cannot identify or articulate the parts of you that are culturally Pa¯ keha¯ , chances are you’re inadvertently othering your fellow New Zealanders. Read widely and humbly to learn and understand what those behaviours are. New Zealand will become a more peaceful place once we decentre a Pa¯ keha¯ worldview.’’

MENG FOON, RACE RELATIONS COMMISIONER

‘‘Challenge racial stereotypes when you hear them. If you don’t like people making negative stereotypes about the groups you belong to, then learn to challenge the ones you hear about others. Be mature enough to address any fears you have of people that are different from you. What fuels your fears? Fear is a normal human emotion but we must ask, are these fears based on stereotypes and are they rational? Fear of difference can lead to racism, Islamophobia and all types of hate. It always helps to listen and learn about other people’s cultures, histories and stories. Beneath our external appearances, we all humans with similar needs and hopes for ourselves and loved ones. So, always be kind and be respectful. I have faith, that we New Zealanders can be the country that can show the world what a harmonious, inclusive and respectful society looks like. Be an upstander by giving nothing to racism, Islamophobia, antiSemitism or any type of hate.’’

JACINDA ARDERN, PRIME MINISTER

‘‘Seeing examples every day of people both calling out bullying and discrimination and then doing that in such a way that it then lifts up who had the experience. Everyday examples: the young boy who was bullied recently for loving books [Callum Manning], not just calling out that that was wrong but lifting him up and endorsing the fact he loved books. The simple, simple act of countering anger and hatred and unkindness when you see it, everyday.’’

DR RUBY AREFIN, MEDICAL STUDENT AND POET

‘‘Regardless of who we are, we all experience fear. Fear of death, fear of disease, fear of being hurt, fear of being envious, fear of loss of reputation. Courage is the first of human virtues because it is not natural to be humble to our enemies and bold to our friends. Not to be without fear... but to be greater than fear.’’

MIKE MCROBERTS, NEWSHUB BROADCASTER

‘‘It’s been called our darkest day, and for good reason, we had never seen, and hopefully never will again, the abhorrent and despicable events of March 15. But out of that darkness came a light like I have never witnessed before. Enough at the time to reduce me to tears. It still catches me when I think about it now. One community, muslim, under siege and yet showing strength and courage and astonishing forgiveness. Another community, the rest of us, with our arms wide open. Let’s keep it that way.’’

AL-MASJID ALJAMIE (PONSONBY) MOSQUE SECRETARY FIROZ PATEL

‘‘On International

Woman’s Day I saw a group of Muslim, Christian and Jewish women come together to visit a church, mosque and synagogue. It’s important for us to be open minded like these women, because when we are together nobody can take our values from us.’’

NEW ZEALAND MUSLIM ASSOCIATION (AUCKLAND) HEAD IKHLAQ KASHKARI

‘‘I’ve seen the communication between communities improve a lot. There are people who may have walked past a mosque everyday for the past 30 years and are now coming inside for the first time. This direct contact actually removes a lot of assumptions people make about other cultures and demystifies it.’’

GHAZALEH GOLBAKHSH

‘‘When I used to think about peace, I would envision hippies and flowers and sit ins. 2020 is not a time a for that. It is a time for serious action and what I have seen over the last year is people, particularly young people of colour, who were at the margins now coming forward and fighting. They are no longer keeping silent to satisfy the status quo but are voicing their concerns about issues like sexism, xenophobia, white supremacy, climate change and LGBTQI rights. Most importantly they are holding those responsible accountable.’’

JULIET MOSES, JEWISH COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND SPOKESPERSON

‘‘To have a harmonious

Aotearoa in which individuals flourish, but prejudice and hatred do not, we must strive to take each person as we find them. When we treat people as the ‘‘other’’, prejudging them because they have different skin colour, attire, or religion, we don’t see them as individuals. We erase their humanity. Let us recall the words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel: ‘We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph.’’’

KANOA LLOYD, HOST OF THE PROJECT

‘‘Behave as though your children are always with you and watching you. Would you post that comment on Facebook if you knew your son or daughter would read it? Would you snap at a taxi driver or waiter with your kids at the table? Would you laugh at a racist or homophobic joke if little ears could hear you? If Aotearoa is going to become kinder, we need our tamariki to learn about empathy and aroha, and they’ll learn that from the big people in their lives.’’

ANJUM RAHMAN, FOUNDER INCLUSIVE AOTEAROA COLLECTIVE

Rahman recently witnessed a kaumatua group in Motueka, bringing people of different ethnicities and religions together through the power of film. ‘‘It’s wonderful. Everyone in the group was gushing about how welcome they felt, how much they belonged. The results looks fabulous in terms of crossing boundaries. When we interact we reduce the hate. Socialise, just talk to each other about what their life is like. Share stories.’’