The launch of the Ethnic Arts & Trade Foundation NZ at the Parliament Beehive in Wellington on 25th September 2024 was a remarkable event, well-attended by members of New Zealand’s diverse ethnic communities, Parliamentarians, and Ambassadors/High Commissioners. The evening featured captivating performances by African, Chinese, Indian, Columbian, and Filipino artists, along with a display of stunning artwork. Over 200 people attended the event. The Founding Trustees, Gurdeep Talwar, Jaspreet Singh Kandhari, and Ghouse Majeed, envisioned this ambitious initiative sometime back to promote Arts and Trade within the Ethnic diaspora, with a specific focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Despite the endeavours of government and non-government agencies to promote the cross-border trade, the focus on SMEs remains insufficient. Recognizing this gap, the Foundation aims to invest its energy and resources by collaborating with Foreign Missions based in New Zealand, Ethnic Trade Organizations, and key individuals who can contribute towards achieving these objectives. The Trustees extend their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Parmjeet Parmar, Member of Parliament, for hosting the event at Parliament’s Beehive in Wellington. On this special occasion, Dr. Parmar welcomed a distinguished audience, including parliamentarians from various political parties and prominent members of the community. Hon David Seymour, ACT Party Leader and Minister of Regulations, officially launched the organization by unveiling the Foundation’s website. He also took the opportunity to acknowledge the vital role and contributions of small and ethnic businesses, which significantly bolster the economy. He congratulated the founding team / trustees on this important initiative and wished them continued success. An introduction highlighted the Vision, aims, and objectives of the Organization, and a strong conviction of the Trustees to deliver the outcome aligning with the Foundation’s key focus on “Bridging Connections, Exploring Possibilities”. Another special feature of the launch event was the presence of Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Honorary Consulates and staff from many foreign missions based in Wellington. The list of Foreign Mission included :
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!1. Her Excellency – Ms Jane Connolly – Ambassador of Ireland
2. His Excellency – Mr.Makoto Osawa- Ambassador of Japan 3. His Excellency – Mr. Luis Ernesto Morejón Rodríguez – Ambassador of Cuba 4. His Excellency – Mr. Zsolt Hetesy – Ambassador of Hungary
5. Her Excellency – Mrs. Manahi Pakarati – Ambassador of Chile 6. His Excellency Dr.Faizal Aziz Ahmed-High Commissioner of Pakistan. 7. Mr. Dinesh Khadka – Honorary Consul of Nepal
8. Mr. Mukesh Ghiya – Second Secy. at the Indian High Commission 9. Mr. Karim Mohd. – Second Secretary at the Embassy of Egypt
10. Mrs. Keltie Patterson – Acting High Commissioner of Canada The organization envisions support and collaboration from individuals and groups eager to contribute to its ambitious mission of exploring cross-border trade opportunities, focusing on benefiting small to medium enterprises. Those interested in joining or learning more about the foundation’s efforts can visit their official webpage at www.eatfnz.org.nz or email admin@eatfnz.org.nz Jaspreet S Kandhari Gurdeep Talwar Ghouse Majeed (Founding Trustees)