La Fiesta to finish with a flourish
Great turn out, but still plenty to look forward to as the festival winds down
The final few days of La Fiesta will see us finish with a flourish. It has been rewarding to see so many people out and about enjoying festival events, especially women and girls giving new things a go.
Our surfing event in partnership with Whanganui Board Riders and Sport Whanganui last Friday evening made a big splash.
When this activity debuted in the festival last year, we were overwhelmed by the response. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we doubled that. The response from women and girls wanting to ride the waves with the safe support of experienced board riders is such a great example of what La Fiesta aims to do. Thanks to everyone who came along on a perfectly sunny evening out at our magnificent mole.
There are too many highlights to list here. Each festival event brings its own special magic for the people who participate.
Our ‘Celebration Breakfast’ last Friday with special guest Jan Tinetti, the Minister for Women, was one such special occasion.
This was our third attempt at bringing the minister here thanks to Covid-19 interruptions. It certainly was ‘third time’s the charm’.
A diverse and dynamic 20-minute off-the-cuff speech provided a punchy snapshot of where Aotearoa New Zealand is at in the gender equity space. We were told that on average, each Kiwi woman will, over their lifetime, earn $900,000 less than her male counterpart.
If you are wā hine Mā ori, Pasifika, or differently abled, this figure increases to well over $1 million.
That’s the difference between winning Lotto or not, simply by virtue of being female. It is a sobering statistic, and our raw reality.
Minister Tinetti also reminded us that we reached a gender balance in Parliament for the first time in our history last year, with the arrival of local List MP Soraya Peke-Mason following the retirement of senior MP and Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard.
While we can all acknowledge that this is an incredible achievement, it has taken a long time to get there, and it will take significant effort to maintain that balance.
The glass ceiling certainly hasn’t been broken yet, and the Manatū Wā hine — Ministry for Women will continue to ensure that a gender lens is placed firmly over all policy development.
An important landmark for reflection and future aspirations is International Women’s Day, celebrated the world over on March 8 since 1911.
It is also the inspiration for the founding of La Fiesta.
This year, the ministry and UN Women are focusing on the theme #DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality. #DigitALL is about ensuring that we are all working together for a future where technology and digital spaces are gender-equal, free from harm and violence, and can empower women and girls.
This theme connects with the priority theme for the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (#CSW67), which also starts this week.
Collectively, there is still much for us to do to advance the status of women and girls the world over.
Here are the final few La Fiesta events from the total of about 140 events this festival: ■ Tomorrow
3.30 - 4.30pm
Library online for streaming movies Alexander Heritage Library, Pukenamu Drive
Free. Bookings essential. RSVP to Rachel on 027 211 4261 or email rachel@whanganuilibrary.com. Learn how to stream movies for FREE with Kanopy and Beamafilm.
6:30 - 9:30pm
Ultimate famous women trivia quiz
Gonville Library, 44 Abbot St
Free. Register your team by emailing kat@whanganuilibrary.com. Form a team (maximum of six) with your girlfriends and use your combined girl power to nail this unique female-themed quiz. Light refreshments provided. Feel free to BYO snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.
7-9pm
EFT tapping workshop — Anger The Women’s Network, 75 St Hill St $33, includes a take-home workbook.
Contact Lizzie on 027 904 6493 or email Lizziesinsights@gmail.com. Join a conversation about anger and other associated behaviours such as frustration, passive aggression, sarcasm, the silent treatment, peacemaking and sabotage. Using EFT, we can begin to find different ways of dealing with feelings of anger.
■ FRIDAY
7.30pm
Festival finale - Twilight Songs
Doors open 7pm
Te Rangi, 4 Allison St
$20. Tickets available via undertheradar.co.nz/. Contact Lizzie on 022 644 9020 or email elizabeth. devegt@gmail.com. Musicians Elizabeth de Vegt and Hamish Jellyman perform a range of originals from their upcoming album, music from Flow: Whanganui River Poems, and covers by well-known female artists. In collaboration with Peace Through Unity Trust.