Celebrate Neighbours

Aotearoa in March 2023

Neighbours Aotearoa is being promoted throughout March 2023. It aims to encourage people to organise an activity or event for their community around this year’s theme ‘Let’s Share!’.

Every person up and down the country, from Kaitaia to ˜tepoti, is invited to do something small (or even large) to get to know a neighbour a little bit better. From book clubs and plant swaps to bigger events like street parties and workshops, neighbours are getting together to connect. Some longer-term projects like the establishment of a p°taka kai (food pantry) or tool library are also being established in some communities.

Neighbours Aotearoa began as a one-day event in 2009, evolved into a ten-day celebration of community connection, and has now morphed into 2023’s month-long initiative to value connection. This evolution supports a vision to make longerterm and more deeply ingrained changes to the social fabric of Aotearoa. A community connector in Manawat˛ –Whanganui says: “Knowing your neighbours makes your street safer and a more caring place to live.”

Lucette, lead community connector in T°maki Makaurau, Auckland, says: “If, year by year, we can support more and more people to participate in their neighbourhoods and communities in ways that work for them, then we’ll be doing a lot to support our people through what could be an increasingly di˝ icult period economically, environmentally, and socially.”

About the Neighbours Aotearoa logo

When we connect with our Neighbours good things happen.

Ka t˜honohono te hapori, ka puta ng° hua.

Meet Ange, Community Connector

Neighbours Aotearoa depends on local people who support communities to connect.