Herman McKinney, a notable community leader from Christchurch’s Sister City Seattle, is coming to Christchurch to speak to local residents about race relations at Christchurch Cathedral on Race Relations Day, 21 March.
During the mid-1990s Mr McKinney established a forum called It’s Time to Talk which is both the name and theme of the evening later this month.
Such is the success of the programme, McKinney was taken to South Africa by Nelson Mandela to implement it, and now Mayor Garry Moore has him coming to Christchurch.
“When the Mayor (Mr Moore) last visited Seattle I was able to meet with him and shared with him some of the progress of the Urban Enterprise Center. He later extended an invitation to me to come to New Zealand which I have now accepted,” Mr McKinney says.
On Race Relations Day, those attending the Cathedral will be divided into random groups of about 10. Mr McKinney will then speak to the crowd as one; from there each group will have round-table discussion about race relations.
One member of each group facilitates the discussion and then may offer to host a follow-up pot-luck dinner in their home with all at the table welcome to attend.
“It’s Time to Talk stems back to 1993, when 8,000 citizens marched from Seattle's inner-city area to the Board of Trustees office of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
“Although Seattle had been touted to be one of the country's most liveable cities by a national magazine, the residents of two inner-city communities took exception to this characterization citing unemployment, poverty, drugs, crime and violence as issues confronting their daily lives.
“The goal we established in Seattle was to commit to making Seattle the most successful place to live, conduct business and enjoy a high quality of life for all of its citizens. I would expect the same for the city of Christchurch. “
It’s Time to Talk will take place in Christchurch Cathedral on Race Relations Day, 21 March 2006.
**To RSVP for the It's Time to Talk event at ChristChurch Cathedral, call 941-8888.