On May 30, 2025, the Kiwi Indian Global Connect – a newly established alliance of Indian community leaders and organisations in New Zealand – came together in a powerful show of unity and compassion. The event, titled “Stand in Solidarity,” was held in Auckland and drew over 200 attendees from a wide range of communities. Its purpose was clear and heartfelt: to honour the innocent lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India, on April 22, 2025.

This heartfelt gathering was sparked, in part, by the New Zealand Parliament’s recent decision to reject a motion presented by ACT Party MP Dr. Parmjeet Parmar. The motion sought to formally acknowledge that Hindu communities were specifically targeted in the attack. The decision to strike down this motion was deeply disappointing to many in the Indian and broader multicultural communities, as it felt like a missed opportunity for Parliament to stand up for truth and justice.
Kiwi Indian Global Connect was born from the collaborative efforts of the Hindu Foundation and several other community organisations who recognised the urgent need to build bridges and present a united front. Their shared vision was to give voice to those affected by terrorism, especially when their stories are often ignored or underrepresented.
The event itself was a moving tribute, not only to the victims of Pahalgam but to all innocent lives lost to terrorism around the world. What made it particularly powerful was the diversity of those who gathered. People from various backgrounds, including representatives from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) community and members of the Muslim community, came forward in a rare but much-needed display of interfaith and cross-cultural solidarity. Their participation sent a powerful message: standing against terrorism is not a religious or ethnic issue — it’s a human one.
The programme featured compelling speeches from sitting and former New Zealand MPs, community leaders, and activists, many of whom have roots in the Indian diaspora. They spoke candidly about the importance of acknowledging the religious dimensions of targeted violence and the need for governments and media to approach such tragedies with honesty and integrity.
A spokesperson for the Kiwi Indian Global Connect shared a clear and emotional message: “We came together today to say that the lives lost in Pahalgam matter. Their pain is our pain, and their stories deserve to be heard — not brushed aside.” The spokesperson also emphasised concerns about the underreporting of violence against Hindu communities and urged both Parliament and the media to commit to fairness, truth, and moral clarity.
The event concluded with a direct call for accountability: Parliament must find the courage to speak truthfully, and the media must do its job with integrity. No community’s suffering should be minimized or politicised.
In essence, the “Stand in Solidarity” meeting was more than a memorial — it was a call to conscience. It highlighted the growing awareness among New Zealanders that compassion and justice must go together when confronting global acts of terror. Every life lost deserves remembrance, and every story deserves to be told.
Contact: Dinesh Pahuja – Media Relations, Kiwi Indian Global Connect
Email: kiwi.indiangc@gmail.com
-TIN Bureau