Love, laughter, and good food were amongst the things shared at the inaugural Welcoming Communities function held at HBHS on Thursday the 24th of August.

This event was organised by the school’s Multicultural Manaaki Centre, a group designed to assist with integrating former refugee students into the school, who have fled their homeland amidst the very real dangers of war and persecution.

The evening involved a number of presentations and speeches about the home nations and cultures represented, and their immigration stories. Among those who presented were the centre’s ex-refugee students, MMC volunteer mentors, and Hamilton’s mayor, Paula Southgate. Many of the boys were pushed outside of their comfort zones, presenting in front of an audience and educating the audience about their cultures in English; a second language for most of the students. Colombia, Somalia, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo were among some of the countries represented. A Pasifika dance involving Mayor Southgate, HBHS Headmaster, Mrs Susan Hassall, and Deputy Headmaster, Mr Nigel Hotham, was a particular highlight of the night - not only for the quality of their dance moves, but for their participation and enthusiasm. The evening concluded with a shared meal prepared by students’ families showcasing the diverse cuisines represented by the MMC group.

This inaugural event offered a glimpse into the tireless work done by MMC founder and HBHS Refugee Coordinator, Ms Naaz Shah, and the numerous volunteer student mentors working behind the scenes at the centre. The MMC was founded in 2017 after Ms Shah noticed that an untargeted approach to the school’s refugee group “wasn’t working.” The Multicultural Manaaki Centre now offers its 41 students a comprehensive Homework Centre, where they receive one-on-one academic mentoring from the school’s top academic scholars and teachers, targeted financial and pastoral support, and involvement in events promoting inclusivity. Annual religious events, such as Diwali, Eid, and Easter are celebrated at the Centre, and during the summer, weekly swimming lessons are offered at the school’s pool. Also, this year a number of bicycles were provided to students, thanks to funding from parents, teachers and the Rotary Club of Hamilton East.

The programme is staunch in its commitment to inclusivity. In response to the horrific Christchurch terrorist attacks in 2019, the annual “Brotherhood Football Match” was created, involving a number of talented MMC footballers playing a friendly match against a selected HBHS team. As Alex Liu, the HBHS Captain of Arts, puts it, “there is nothing that really separates us at the MMC". The sense of love omnipresent at the MMC keeps mentors and mentees returning every week, and gives “our lives a sense of meaning,” according to HBHS Head Prefect, Hamish McKelvie.

The MMC extends its gratitude to Mayor Paula Southgate and the Hamilton City Council, and the Welcoming Communities Fund, for their support in funding such events and promoting diversity and inclusivity. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “what barrier is there that love cannot break”, and the inaugural HBHS Welcoming Communities event was a manifestation of the love that envelopes the work of the Multicultural Manaaki Centre.