Neighbours Day Aotearoa

Neighbours Day Aotearoa originated from the principles and experience of the Know Your Neighbours Project, an initiative that started through a Takapuna Methodist Church and LIFEWISE partnership. By working in streets and neighbourhoods, it was found that many residents were keen to know their neighbours more, but sometimes wanted support to know where to start and encouragement to take action.

The message of ‘know your neighbours’ connects across different ages, ethnicities, cultures, and geographical locations; it is relevant for all of us. Because the Know your Neighbours Project believes that strong neighbourhoods are crucial to a healthy, happy, and sustainable New Zealand, we wanted to find a way to spread this message and celebrate neighbourliness across the country.

Elsewhere around the world, other countries have run successful campaigns similar to Neighbours Day. Many of these campaigns started small and built up momentum each year. Check out similar Neighbours Day movements.

Inspired by these international campaigns, LIFEWISE decided to kick off New Zealand’s own Neighbours Day movement. With an enthusiastic team of community organisations and local council representatives, LIFEWISE took the step to facilitate and promote Auckland’s first Neighbours Day in October 2009. Pulled together with a tight time-frame and a small budget, the first Neighbours Day was a success and generated much interest to spread throughout the country.

Neighbours Day Aotearoa is championed by a Neighbours Day Development Team from LIFEWISE, Inspiring Communities, and Methodist Mission Aotearoa.

Visit the website of Neighbours Day Aotearoa

Project 2011
Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2011

Building better relationships on our streets can transform whole neighbourhoods into healthy, fun and vibrant places to live. Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2011 is something all New Zealanders can get involved in.

Wherever you are in NZ, put March 26-27, 2011 in your diary as a day to celebrate and get to know your neighbours. Just one act of neighbourliness can make a difference to the street you live in.

What can you do?

  • Start now! Get your neighbours, the street or whole community together to start planning what you’ll do together for Neighbours Day Aotearoa in your streets, and how to spread the word in your region.
  • Mark 26-27 March 2011 on the calendar. On the day, you can knock on doors with home-baking, bring out the back-yard cricket, lean over the fence for a chat, put down a hangi or spark up the BBQ – do whatever suits your neighbourhood. It just takes one person to get things going in a street.
  • You can help spread the word. Talk about Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2011 to your workmates, friends, family and of course – your neighbours.

Remember you don’t have to wait – everyday can be a neighbour’s day. Join the movement! Help bring Neighbours Day Aotearoa to your place.

Do you have questions or a story about your neighbourhood? Send us an email.

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