Hope From your mayor

Mayor and Mayoress Garry Moore and Pam Sharpe visited the set of "A Quiet Night", understood to be the first film produced in Christchurch and funded by the New Zealand Film Commission. One of the police officers they are chatting with, Stefan Harris (left), is also the screenwriter. The City Council issued permits to the Christchurch-based film company Primal free of charge, to encourage the local film industry. Primal also received a grant from Creative Communities, which is administered by the council.

For the last few weeks I've been mulling over what events have made the most lasting impression during my first year as Mayor.

Your would think with all the glamour of APEC events and visitors it would be an easy matter to settle. It is, but not in the direction most people would expect.

Presidents, pomp and circumstance are exciting but the events that have really moved me have involved meeting new New Zealanders.

Every couple of months I get to take part in the citizenship ceremonies in Christchurch Town Hall for people who have moved here and wish to become citizens. There is something incredibly moving about meeting these hundreds of people from around the world who have reached the point of putting their hands up and saying "Yes, we want to be party of this country, permanently".

Their stories are as varied as the nationalities they shed during the ceremony. Some families are here because it is a haven from tyranny and fear; others because they have fled pollution and congestion of overdeveloped nations; and others again, because they can see clearly the incredible potential of this country.

The common theme is hope and I find that experiencing so much hope and optimism for our future refreshing and humbling.

The ceremonies also give me a good opportunity to take a look at the crowd and see the changing nature of the races and cultures that will go together to make up Christchurch in the future.

We are going to be a much more multicultural and diverse City. I think this gives us an opportunity to build on developing a City that celebrates difference and also develops a uniquely Pacific flavour.

As we head towards Canterbury's 150th birthday next year it is probably a good time for us all to reflect on where our City is heading.

My hope is that we will retain the best traditions of aspiration and tolerance that Christchurch was founded on - and develop some more strong goals.