Who We Are
Our aspiration is to build on its success in promoting and protecting the interests and aims of ethnic communities and migrants in Southland.
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Our Aim
Our aim is to make Southland a safe and welcoming place for, migrants, ethnic people, former refugees and newcomers, where we can all learn to appreciate, enjoy and celebrate our cultural differences and diversity.
Our Volunteers
For the last few years, volunteers linked to MNZ were actively supporting communities in Invercargill and Southland District. MNZ supported these volunteers from diverse ethnicities to come together as an incorporated society, and Murihiku Southland District Multicultural Council (MSDMC) was formed in 2021 as new branch or Regional Multicultural Council of MNZ.
MSDMC volunteers have worked on various projects with:
- Murihiku Islamic Trust Southland Filipino Society
- Citizen Advice Bureau
- Women’s International Network of New Zealand (WOMINNZ)
- The Murihiku Time Exchange
- Yes We Care Venture Southland
- Bellyful Invercargill
- Kidzone
- Southland Play Centre
MSDMC has good relations with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and brings new migrants to Murihiku Marae to forge connections with tangata whenua.
Local mayors of councils in Southland have close ties with MSDMC.
Origins
Southland Multi-Nations was formed from a public meeting held in 1998 to help and support local immigrants community.
In 1999 it became an incorporated society, Southland Multi-Nations Council Inc. In 2010 the organisation had a name change to Southland Multicultural Council Inc. so that all ethnic councils in New Zealand affiliated to the National Federation would be multicultural councils. As of April 2021 the name changes to Southland Multicultural Trust.
Southland Multicultural Trust is registered with the Charities Commission - number CC27119.
