Ōtautahi Welcoming Dinners
Join us for a meal to manaaki/welcome some of our newest residents, including former refugees, who now call Ōtautahi/Christchurch home.
Our Welcoming Dinners are a chance to make connections and meet others over a delicious meal and live performance of traditional music. Learn about the journeys of others, celebrate the diversity of our city and help our new comers feel welcome.
How the Welcoming Dinners work
We host Welcoming Dinners twice a year - at the beginning of the year and during Welcome Week in September.
The ticket price of $26 covers guest dinner, dessert and drink and contributes towards 20 free meals for our former refugee diners.
Meals are the traditional cuisines of our former refugee communities in Ōtautahi, cooked by the Cooks Collective.
Local world musicians are invited to perform at the Welcoming Dinners, offering insight into the musical culture of our former refugee communities and supporting local musicians.
Our partners
Welcoming Dinners are a collaboration with our local refugee resettlement agency - Purapura Whetu Pōwhiri - our the Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre and the Christchurch City Council Welcoming Communities.
Our impact
These meals are often the first opportunity for our newly settling former refugee community members to connect socially with members of the wider community in Ōtautahi.
They offer the chance for diners to build social capital and cohesion. And importantly send the message to all - you are welcome here.