AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, May 28, 2007: In a historic event for the Hindu community of New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark inaugurated New Zealand’s first Hindu conference by lighting the holy lamp at the Hindu Heritage Center in Auckland, May 12, 2007. The conference theme was The Contribution of Hindu Community to the National Life of New Zealand and the keynote address was presented by Dr. Guna Magesan, General Secretary of the Hindu Council of New Zealand. He highlighted the fact that the Hindu community is the second largest faith-based community in New Zealand and that it has grown by 62 per cent in the last five years.
Sir Barry Curtis, the Mayor of Manukau city, told attendees that Manukau is the Hindu capital of New Zealand because a large number of Hindus live in the Manukau county. Haare Williams, the kaumatua (a Maori elder) and Tangata Whenua (son of the soil), blessed the occasion with a Maori traditional prayer. Swami Vigyananand of the World Hindu Council chanted a Hindu prayer on the auspicious occasion. A number of Hindu dignitaries from overseas attended the event: Aruneshwar Gupta, President of Hindu Heritage Foundation; Ravi Kumar, joint coordinator Sewa International; Vijay Singhal, Secretary of Hindu Council of Australia; and Swami Sanyuktanand from Fiji Sevashram Sangha. Next year’s conference will be held May 16 to 18, with the theme Sustaining New Zealand Communities with Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda. Please contact source for information regarding next year’s conference.