REWI ALLEY 120TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION COMMITTEE CANTERBURY
An organising committee for coordinating commemoration activities in 2017 has been formed from representatives of the following organisations:
- Selwyn District Council
- Hurunui District Council
- Christchurch City Council
- Chinese Consulate General in Christchurch
- Christchurch China Sister Cities Committee
- New Zealand China Friendship Society, Christchurch Branch
- Ara Institute (CPIT)
- Confucius Institute at the University of Canterbury
- Rewi Alley Chinese School
- Waimakariri District Council
- Hurunui Youth Committee
- Alley Family representative
The Patrons for the Anniversary Commemorations are the Rt Hon Jenny Shipley, Hon Philip Burdon, Chinese Consul General in Christchurch Jin Zhijian, Christchurch City Mayor Lianne Dalziel, former Selwyn District Mayor Kelvin Coe, Hurunui District Mayor Winton Dalley, Waimakariri District Mayor David Ayers, New Zealand Ambassador to China John McKinnon, Emeritus Professor Bill Willmott, Associate Professor Maurice Alley.
Major anniversary commemoration projects planned so far:
- Schools competitions for the Commemorations - Hon Margaret Austin is heading this project
- Canterbury Museum display of and talk by Dr Richard Bullen on the artefacts collection donated by Rewi Alley, recently catalogued
- The Shanghai Archives photographic display on Rewi Alley’s achievements in China
- Development of a Rewi Alley web site on his life and work, plus access to resources on him
- Commemorative plaque and information panel at the Christchurch Art Centre where Rewi went to Christchurch Boys' High School
- Reprinting and translation of Philippa Reynolds' (Rewi’s niece) biography of Rewi Alley
- A Rewi Alley symposium on recent research into his life and legacy, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Canterbury on Friday 1st December 2017
- A Civic Reception and visits to Christchurch points of interest will be arranged on Friday 1st December 2017 for visiting Chinese delegations visiting for the anniversary commemorations
- Commemorative activities on the 2nd December 2017 include a special anniversary commemorative event arranged by the mayor and council of the Selwyn District Council at Springfield, Rewi’s birth place, then a visit to Amberley for the opening of a Chinese Garden of Reflection, developed by the Hurunui Youth Committee and a commemorative event arranged by the mayor and council of the Hurunui District Council, followed by an anniversary reception at the Christchurch Consulate, the planting of a tree from Springfield in the gardens there, and songs from the Rewi Alley Roadshow
- In the evening of 2nd December 2017 we will hold an anniversary commemoration banquet
- On Sunday 3rd December a visit will be made to the Rewi Alley Chinese School in Riccarton
- Development of Rewi Alley trail tourist material for Chinese tour operators to utilise to extend Chinese tour parties time in Christchurch
- Preparation of an information pamphlet on locations in Christchurch City connected to Rewi Alley produced by the Christchurch City Council
- Establishment of a Rewi Alley Trust to protect the ‘Rewi Alley’ brand, to hold the intellectual property of the biography, tourist material and roadshow etc
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