Talking about understanding
Last month on Race Relations Day, Christchurch Cathedral in the Square was the setting for a meeting of about 200 people, present to listen to Seattle's Herman McKinney talk about his race relations forum, called It's Time to Talk.
The evening began with Mr McKinney discussing race relations and what Christchurch's sister city Seattle has done to address issues first raised by its residents in 1993.
Following his talk, the people divided into groups of eight (like the table pictured with Mayor Garry Moore), and talked about what Christchurch could do to make the city a better place to live. These groups, made up of randomly selected participants, were then given a challenge keep the conversation and discussion going, perhaps starting in one person's home over a pot-luck dinner.
Mr McKinney said that he was very excited about Christchurch's first effort at It's Time to Talk.
"To have about 200 people attending the first session of It's Time to Talk, I think is a great start," he said. "Now it is up to Christchurch to hold three or four of these events a year to allow the concept to continue to work."
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