There is something irreplaceable about being in the same room. After two full years of online gatherings, postponements, and the particular loneliness of a world separated by a pandemic, UPF New Zealand’s commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Families 2022 carried an emotional weight that went well beyond its programme.
Held on Saturday 21 May 2022 at Mangere Memorial Hall in South Auckland, the event was co-hosted by UPF New Zealand, FFWPU New Zealand, and WFWP New Zealand — the first major in-person public gathering for the organisation since COVID-19 restrictions took hold in 2020. Around 80 people attended, including key community leaders from across Auckland.
Welcome Back
The MC for the occasion was Ruth Cleaver, a long-serving UPF Ambassador for Peace and former President of the Auckland Interfaith Council, whose warm presence helped set the tone for a reunion as much as a commemoration.
Opening remarks were delivered by Rev. Kenji Watanabe (Chairman, UPF New Zealand and FFWPU), Geoffrey Fyers (Secretary General, UPF New Zealand), and Matapa Shelly (President, WFWP New Zealand) — each offering a reflection on what it means to gather again as a community, and what that gathering itself says about the resilience of the values we hold in common.
The event’s theme aligned with the United Nations’ designation for 2022: “The Role of Families in Creating a Peaceful Society.” In a world still recovering from the social disruptions of the pandemic — and watching with grief as war returned to Europe — that theme felt anything but abstract.
Keynote: Ross Robertson on Family as Foundation
The keynote address was delivered by Ross Robertson — a four-time Deputy Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives and Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2014, and a long-standing UPF Ambassador for Peace.
Ross spoke with characteristic directness and warmth on the theme of family values and the power of parental role modelling. His central message resonated deeply with the audience: that no child is born with a set of values — they learn them from family and friends. As adults, he argued, we are role models whether we choose to be or not. Children look to us for leadership, guidance, and inspiration. The family, then, is not merely a social unit — it is the first and most influential school any of us will ever attend.
Other notable speakers included HP Singh Luthera, a respected Sikh elder, and Raniera Pene, a Christian Youth Minister — each offering their own faith community’s perspective on the sacred role of family in human flourishing.
Music and Culture
Musical interludes brought colour and joy to the programme throughout the afternoon. The Peace Run Group contributed a performance reflecting the spirit of international peacebuilding through sport and community. Families from the Cook Islands community shared performances that brought the warmth and pride of Pacific family culture into the room — a reminder of the rich tapestry of cultures that make up South Auckland’s community life.
Youth Heroes Award: Lani Alo
One of the most memorable moments of the day was the presentation of the YSP Youth Heroes Award to Lani Alo, a talented Samoan musician whose work actively promotes family values and cultural pride through his music. The award was presented by Dohie Kim, YSP New Zealand Coordinator — recognising Lani’s contribution to a music culture that uplifts communities, strengthens family bonds, and gives young people something worth singing about.
The award was met with genuine warmth from the audience. In a culture often saturated with entertainment that pulls individuals away from community and family, Lani Alo’s work was a counter-cultural act — and UPF New Zealand wanted to honour it as such.
A Room Full of Hope
The gathering concluded with everyone joining together in the song “Where Peace Begins: One Family Under God” — a fitting anthem for an afternoon that had embodied exactly what the lyrics described. Group photos were taken, refreshments were shared, and a good number of participants stayed long after the programme had formally ended, strengthening the bonds of community that had been stretched thin by two years of separation.
One participant, moved by the occasion, wrote to the organisers afterwards: “Congratulations on what was a lovely event to witness, particularly the coming together of diverse voices and compassion for what is a symbolic and universal unit.”
It was a quiet but powerful reminder of why UPF New Zealand does what it does — and of how much community matters, especially when the world has spent two years telling us to stay apart.
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