Programme Presenters Workshops
Manaakitanga is a powerful concept with different possible translations: making someone feel at home, being a responsible host, showing kindness, hospitality, caring for the environment, treating people with respect, nurturing relationships, caring for others, and reciprocity of kindness, respect and humanity.
The idea of caring about others, uplifting each other, supporting and making all feel at home and loved is a central value of all the Edmund Rice groups and entities.
It is like family and having lot of friends in and around the family home – sitting together at the table filled with good food, for hours and hours, talking, laughing, just being together. But apart from providing nourishment for the body, this principle also means to provide food for the soul if it is needed. We need to talk when something is not going quite right in our lives, often it helps to see a bit clearer. When people come to us and ask for help or support. It’s about sitting and listening, respect for others, taking them seriously and showing that we care by our actions.
So how can we make Manaakitanga an even greater priority in our Edmund Rice schools, communities, and organisations, especially when working with people who are vulnerable, when we aspire to such values as presence, compassion liberation as well as fundamental touchstones such as liberating education, gospel spirituality, inclusive communities, and justice and solidarity? This gathering is open not only to the Edmund Rice Network in Aotearoa – New Zealand but also to anyone else who wants to join in the conversations, listen to challenging keynote speakers, participate in focused workshops, build networks, and gain valuable insights to take back home.
Date: Saturday 14th September 2019 – 9:00am until 5:30pm Sunday 9th September 2018 – 9 am until 12:30 pm
Venue: St Thomas of Canterbury College, Middlepark Road. Christchurch, New Zealand.