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An 18 month-long art and embroidery project involving cultural groups from throughout the Auckland Region is nearing completion and will be exhibited in Takapuna and Orewa throughout June and July before being gifted to the City of Auckland as a visual representation of Auckland in the early 2000’s (2000 – 011).

The Connecting Communities Through Stitch project, initiated by the community development organisation Raeburn House, has involved local and migrant/refugee communities across the Auckland region, who have created embroidery panels and cultural postcards depicting images of what for them is the essence of where they are from and who they are as people.

Joan Hamilton, co-ordinator of the project, has said that the key element of the project has been that it is all-inclusive. “The project has been about giving the many diverse communities, not just migrant and refugee communities but also people with physical, intellectual and mental needs, a sense of belonging to New Zealand as a whole,” says Mrs Hamilton.

Almost two years ago Raeburn House reached out to all migrants/refugee and locals inviting them to join the project, bringing their stories and visual imagery of where they were from. Local artist Ian Moore translated the stories and visuals onto cloth panels, which were then ready to be embroidered.

“Many of our migrant populations come from countries that have rich and traditional histories of embroidery and through working at a grass root level with Settlement Support North Shore, it became evident that a programme such as Creating Communities Through Stitch would encourage both the local and migrant communities to come together to participate in a sociable and creative activity,” explains Mrs Hamilton.

“We wanted to develop a shared story for Auckland’s diverse communities, and this project has given all those involved an opportunity to share the colours, symbols and icons, and stories of their cultures. All of this is about the acceptance of others into New Zealand,” she says

For the past year and a half participants have met weekly and monthly in centres around the city to stitch. The gatherings have been times of practicing English in a safe environment, making new friends, teaching one another new stitches and being accepting of one another. The meetings have been in centres around the city including Northcote, Henderson, Mt Roskill and Otara. And each area has brought its own flavor to the panels.

The culmination of this work is to be exhibited at the Lake House Art Centre, Fred Thomas Drive, Takapuna. The official opening by Auckland Mayor Len Brown will be on the 18 June and open to the public from 19 June to the 3 July. It will then move to Estuary Arts, Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa were it will be displayed from the 4 July to the 31 July.