Love letters from everywhere

Tuesday, 22 February 2005

Love letters from everywhere

Who says Kiwis aren't into public displays of affection?

Over 5,000 love letters have poured in from around the world for pasting on to a downtown Auckland City building as part of the AK05 Festival.

Organisers Heart of the City (HOT City) needed around 2,500 cards, letters and pictures to cover the Buckland Building in Takutai Square behind Britomart train station.

But now HOT City may have to look for an additional building on which to paste the surplus love letters.

"We're absolutely delighted with the response to our call for letters. And they're coming in not just from Aucklanders. Kiwis right around the country and even people around the world have been passionate in their postings," says marketing manager Liz Smith.

The campaign has even featured on overseas Internet chat rooms.

"The letters really capture the personality of our country - there is humour and emotion and drama. People are so going to enjoy reading the letters when they go on display on February 26 - just as much as we have enjoyed receiving them," says Liz.

Love Letters celebrates Aucklanders' love of their city, their families, friends and their sweethearts. The free exhibition is sponsored by Heart of the City.

Love letters can be sent by e-mail direct from an Internet site www.loveletters.net.nz , or to Freepost Love Letters, Heart of the City, P O Box 105 331, Auckland. Templates of letters are available on the web site for those who need inspiration.

"Your letter doesn't have to be to anyone in particular and it's not all about romantic love. It can be love for your country, a friend or relative or even your city - but they'll all have one thing in common and that's love," Liz says.

"It's fun and there's even an incentive. Every time you send an e-mail from the Love Letters web site you go in the draw to win one of three trips for two to romantic Melbourne."

The letters are to be officially launched at the Buckland Building site in Britomart Place at 10am on February 26 as part of the first day of the AK05 Festival.

The messages are specially sealed so they are unaffected by wind or rain. When the exhibition concludes, celebrity letters are to be auctioned in aid of Variety - The Children's Charity.

ENDS

© Scoop Media