From the President
LIANZA President Paula Eskett, who has just started her new role at Waimakariri Libraries as Waimakariri District Libraries Manager
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There would be little written in Aotearoa since Friday March, 15th that does not directly or indirectly connect with the terrorist attacks that
afternoon in Christchurch. As a result, I’ve really struggled with what to write in this column this month. When the nationalities of those killed in the terrorist attacks began to be announced my mind turned to four new New Zealanders from Christchurch who have recently inspired my LIANZA work. Those of you who were part of LIANZA’s 2017 conference in Christchurch will remember we chose a conference theme of Open with multiple sub themes. Each a twist on the overarching theme the organising committee saw as ways to demonstrate how the overarching theme could and would be experienced throughout the conference. Open Hearts and Minds was one of those sub themes chosen and bought to life by the deeply moving panel discussion Migrant Voices. For an hour our stage was graced with three new New Zealanders and each a former refugee; sisters Maryam and Zeinab Husseini from Somalia, and Galawezh Noori from Kurdistan with the panel discussion superbly facilitated by British-born Iranian journalist and refugee advocate Donna Miles. |
We were privileged to hear how Maryam, Zeinab and Galawezh experienced life in their new home country; their struggles, experiences and suggestions for us in the library community.
Many of you showed your love, empathy and compassion after they spoke with the generous personal donations placed in kete.
Collectively, LIANZA donated over $1500 to Shakti International, a non-profit organisation serving migrant and refugee women of Asian, African and
Middle Eastern origin.
When I wrote the conference handbook blurb for the Migrant Voices Panel I quoted latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner (UNHCR) for Refugees data stating 65.3 million people worldwide being forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 21.3 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. 34,000 people are forcibly displaced everyday as a result of conflict or persecution.
Many of you showed your love, empathy and compassion after they spoke with the generous personal donations placed in kete.
Collectively, LIANZA donated over $1500 to Shakti International, a non-profit organisation serving migrant and refugee women of Asian, African and
Middle Eastern origin.
When I wrote the conference handbook blurb for the Migrant Voices Panel I quoted latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner (UNHCR) for Refugees data stating 65.3 million people worldwide being forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 21.3 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. 34,000 people are forcibly displaced everyday as a result of conflict or persecution.
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While writing this column I checked those figures and am sad to read their updated data.
• We are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record. • An unprecedented 68.5 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 25.4 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. • There are also an estimated 10 million stateless people who have been denied a nationality and access to basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. • In a world where nearly one person is forcibly displaced every two seconds as a result of conflict or persecution. |
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I have written to Donna this week asking how Maryam, Zeinab and Galawezh and their families are, and shared I am thinking about ways libraries across Aotearoa can genuinely and respectfully support new New Zealanders, and in particular Muslim women.
I recognise much is already happening in our libraries and take nothing away from that existing mahi by asking Donna this question. Hearing and reading so much about the social isolation, lack of English skills and opportunities to connect with learning programmes many Muslim women experience – especially those now widowed, fatherless and motherless since the attacks, I asked how our sector and profession could engage meaningfully to be of use.
I recognise much is already happening in our libraries and take nothing away from that existing mahi by asking Donna this question. Hearing and reading so much about the social isolation, lack of English skills and opportunities to connect with learning programmes many Muslim women experience – especially those now widowed, fatherless and motherless since the attacks, I asked how our sector and profession could engage meaningfully to be of use.
Donna replied this week:
‘I cannot tell you how heartened I am to read your email. We are very lucky to have such intelligent and compassionate people in important roles. I joined the management committee of Shakti Christchurch about a month ago with the aim of finding out for myself what the needs of the most vulnerable migrant groups might be. Will be in touch with ideas and thoughts in near future.’
Donna had just returned to New Zealand and was going to check in with our three friends. When I hear more I will share it with our community.
Some of you may remember the emotional sharing of Abbas Nazari’s personal story woven into my presentation that was the closing keynote at 2016 Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui weekend.
Abbas was a student at Riccarton Primary school in Christchurch and a regular afterschool visitor to the Upper Riccarton School and Community Library.
What we in the library didn’t know was that Abbas and his family had fled Afghanistan to escape persecution and execution from the Taliban. Abbas’s father had heard that Australia had an open door policy on asylum seekers from Afghanistan, and set out to bring the family to Australia for a new, and safe life. After months on the run through Pakistan, Indonesia, a boat sinking and a rescue by a Norwegian cargo ship, the family and many others got 10km from Christmas Island to find out the Howard government had closed its borders to refugees and 9/11 had happened too.
Late September 2001 Aotearoa opened our doors to Abbas, his family and other Tampa refugees as part of our United Nations refugee quota.
I reconnected with Abbas when I heard him speak at the 2016 WORD Readers & Writers Festival. His speech bought me to tears.
As he told his story I felt a sense of shame that as a library team we had frequently engaged with him for the wrong reasons – don’t run in the library and the like.
I learned that while Abbas has adapted to Kiwi life quickly, his parents had struggled.
His story and their collective experiences formed a framework for my presentation, and in my abstract for the weekend school – themed Spreading the Net I wrote: Nets have holes. Regardless of how far or how high they’re flung, they’ll still have holes.
Do you know what’s getting through your Library’s net and how do those people, connections and trends we miss hooking, effect what our services look like?
I felt that Abbas and his family had fallen through our library’s net.
I messaged Abbas on March 17th and was relieved to hear he and his family were physically okay.
Abbas wrote back:
‘Hey, hey! Thanks for checking in. Family are all fine. It’s been pretty shit but so lovely to hear from old friends like yourselves, and the coming together of everyone.’
Libraries represent many things and bring to life shared values of inclusion, tolerance and peace.
Places that share the supporting of communities, where demonstrating love, support and acceptance can cost as little as a smile.
At the end of Abbas’s Mindfood interview he reflects on how he can make a difference – ‘it can be as easy as listening to someone telling their story’.
I’ve been thinking about what more libraries can do to help facilitate and provide spaces for communities to share, listen and hear each other’s stories.
It would be great to have a sector wide discussion about this.
Human beings are members of a whole
In creation of one essence and soul
If one member is afflicted with pain
Other members uneasy will remain
If you have no sympathy for human pain
The name of human you cannot retain.
– Saadi
Currently reading: Atomic habits by James Clear
Noho ora mai,
Paula Eskett
‘I cannot tell you how heartened I am to read your email. We are very lucky to have such intelligent and compassionate people in important roles. I joined the management committee of Shakti Christchurch about a month ago with the aim of finding out for myself what the needs of the most vulnerable migrant groups might be. Will be in touch with ideas and thoughts in near future.’
Donna had just returned to New Zealand and was going to check in with our three friends. When I hear more I will share it with our community.
Some of you may remember the emotional sharing of Abbas Nazari’s personal story woven into my presentation that was the closing keynote at 2016 Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui weekend.
Abbas was a student at Riccarton Primary school in Christchurch and a regular afterschool visitor to the Upper Riccarton School and Community Library.
What we in the library didn’t know was that Abbas and his family had fled Afghanistan to escape persecution and execution from the Taliban. Abbas’s father had heard that Australia had an open door policy on asylum seekers from Afghanistan, and set out to bring the family to Australia for a new, and safe life. After months on the run through Pakistan, Indonesia, a boat sinking and a rescue by a Norwegian cargo ship, the family and many others got 10km from Christmas Island to find out the Howard government had closed its borders to refugees and 9/11 had happened too.
Late September 2001 Aotearoa opened our doors to Abbas, his family and other Tampa refugees as part of our United Nations refugee quota.
I reconnected with Abbas when I heard him speak at the 2016 WORD Readers & Writers Festival. His speech bought me to tears.
As he told his story I felt a sense of shame that as a library team we had frequently engaged with him for the wrong reasons – don’t run in the library and the like.
I learned that while Abbas has adapted to Kiwi life quickly, his parents had struggled.
His story and their collective experiences formed a framework for my presentation, and in my abstract for the weekend school – themed Spreading the Net I wrote: Nets have holes. Regardless of how far or how high they’re flung, they’ll still have holes.
Do you know what’s getting through your Library’s net and how do those people, connections and trends we miss hooking, effect what our services look like?
I felt that Abbas and his family had fallen through our library’s net.
I messaged Abbas on March 17th and was relieved to hear he and his family were physically okay.
Abbas wrote back:
‘Hey, hey! Thanks for checking in. Family are all fine. It’s been pretty shit but so lovely to hear from old friends like yourselves, and the coming together of everyone.’
Libraries represent many things and bring to life shared values of inclusion, tolerance and peace.
Places that share the supporting of communities, where demonstrating love, support and acceptance can cost as little as a smile.
At the end of Abbas’s Mindfood interview he reflects on how he can make a difference – ‘it can be as easy as listening to someone telling their story’.
I’ve been thinking about what more libraries can do to help facilitate and provide spaces for communities to share, listen and hear each other’s stories.
It would be great to have a sector wide discussion about this.
Human beings are members of a whole
In creation of one essence and soul
If one member is afflicted with pain
Other members uneasy will remain
If you have no sympathy for human pain
The name of human you cannot retain.
– Saadi
Currently reading: Atomic habits by James Clear
Noho ora mai,
Paula Eskett