Love Where You Live - February 1st to 29th š„°
Love is in the air this month! Weāre not just talking about Valentineās Day... weāre talking about this monthās national campaign.
Our theme for February is all about finding ways to show your home and community a little extra love and care. Whether itās organising a street clean up, helping a neighbour tidy up their property, putting together a working bee, or installing a communal pÄtaka or library - there are countless ways to make our neighbourhoods more enjoyable for everyone.
Donāt forget to share the love! Let us know how youāre improving your neighbourhood this month by email or tag us online and include the following hashtag:
#NSNZlovewhereyoulive
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Hero
āI was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldnāt be myself there. Even though my family didnāt like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldnāt afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. Itās better when itās shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, Iāve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.ā
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
DIY cornhole set
Cornhole is the perfect game for summer entertaining and the matching scoreboard helps you see whoās winning at a glance.
Finish in contrasting Resene Lustacryl colours or choose complementary colours to suit your home.
Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.