Parliamentary Prayer marks start of Chinese Language Week

MEDIA RELEASE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Parliamentary Prayer marks the beginning of New Zealand Chinese Language Week

MP Raymond Huo will officially celebrate this year’s New Zealand Chinese Language Week (“NZCLW”) by reading the Parliamentary prayer in Chinese at 2pm on Tuesday, 25 September 2018.

NZCLW is a Kiwi-led initiative to encourage New Zealanders to engage in Chinese language and culture. It aims to promote the opportunities from increased connections to China for students, individuals, businesses and the wider community. NZCLW is running from the 23 – 29 September 2018.

For the first time in New Zealand, and in the world, the recital of the prayer in Chinese in the New Zealand House of Representatives, “will be greatly appreciated by Chinese-speaking communities both at home and abroad”, says Jo Coughlan, co-chair of NZCLW.

The English prayer was translated into Chinese by the Auckland-based Chinese teaching and researching Bo Ya Institute. Mr Huo has also sent the translation to National MP Dr Jian Yang for peer-reviewing.

Since its inaugural celebration in 2014, the NZCLW has attracted the attention of both the mainstream English-language media and worldwide Chinese-language media.

In 2015, Mr Huo dedicated his sixth book, Blue Sky, White Cloud – From 100% Pure NZ to NZCLW. NZCLW also jointly published a bilingual book, Flying Kiwis – Collection of Essays of NZ School Students with the Beijing-based Higher Education Press.

This year NZCLW will be launching another book, William’s Waitangi Day. This book, by kiwi author David Ling, tells the story of William a recent Chinese immigrant to New Zealand and how he learns about Waitangi Day. The book has been translated in to English and Chinese, and in part is trilingual with some key Maori words included.

“As a founding trustee and co-chair I am proud of the achievements the NZCLW has made,” says Huo. “It helps new Kiwis in our nation-building process acknowledge our tangata whenua while celebrating our multicultural Aotearoa.”

Notes to Editor

NZCLW is a registered Charitable Trust co-chaired by MP Raymond Huo and Ms Jo Coughlan. Other trustees include Dave Bromwich, National President of the New Zealand China Friendship Society, distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley, one of New Zealand's leading academics and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Massey University, Sean O'Connor (Acting Director Education) Asia NZ Foundation, Tony Browne, former New Zealand Ambassador to China and Executive Chair of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre and Chair of the Victoria University of Wellington Confucius Institute, and Qian Hou (Karen), Chief Executive Officer of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China New Zealand.

Prayer in English:
Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us.
Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the Queen and pray for guidance in our deliberations, that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice and mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.

Prayer in Chinese translation:

ends

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