New Zealand is changing. So should the business of story-telling.
To be published every alternate Wednesday, this newspaper aims to be your definitive guide to all things ethnic and multicultural in New Zealand.
At last count, Aotearoa had 213 ethnic groups calling it home. Unfortunately though, inspite of all the good intentions of average Kiwis, and efforts put in by government, ethnic communities in New Zealand still feel "alienated", "left out", or "voiceless". What aids such a feeling - and this is a general consensus - is that the ethnic issues, news, views, struggles, successes, or celebrations, don't find adequate representation in the country's public discourse.
Multicultural Times is an effort to change this prevailing state of affairs with the ultimate goal of creating social cohesion across New Zealand.
As Multicultural Times' tagline - Journalism for diversity - pointedly says, we hope that by bringing the ethnic side of things into mainstream New Zealand, society at large will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other's culture. And when the wider community is sensitised about ethnic issues, it goes out of its way to help new migrants to settle in.
In turn, New Zealand as a whole benefits and prospers.
Our team is very excited to embark on this journey of building bridges between communities in the land of the long white cloud, and will need all your support, appreciation, and critique along the way.
Here's to a more inclusive, diverse and multicultural Aotearoa!