Absolutely Positively WELLINGTON for Pacific Peoples

The Wellington Pacific Peoples Awards is to recognise, promote and celebrate Pacific success in business, community, art and youth sports in the Wellington region (Hutt Valley, Porirua, Wellington). We also wish to acknowledge the hard work of our Pacific elderly who migrated to NZ in the ‘40s, '50s and '60s and contributed to building our communities through their unpaid and voluntary labour. Finalists success stories and our Pacific elderly will be publicly thanked and profiled as role models for the modern generation in the Pacific community and to the community at large.

::    Acknowledgement & appreciation of our Pacific elderly & their journey
::    Celebrating the achievements and success of our Pacific people
::    Promoting Pacific Island enterprise in Wellington

2003 WELLINGTON PACIFIC PEOPLES AWARDS

Lavea’i Trust were keen to promote more positive success stories of Pacific people for our own community and to the community at large.

We wanted to see an event that would recognise the achievements of our people and to create a positive enterprise culture in the Pacific community.

We also wanted to publicly acknowledge and thank our Pacific elderly for their many sacrifices to build a life as we know it now. We acknowledge and value the contribution from our Pacific elderly who are the pioneers of Pacific Island life in Wellington and have served and continue to serve as an inspiration for many of our Pacific people.

The idea to organise a Pacific Awards Event was shared with family, friends and community networks. We were able to link in with Pacific Island business and community leaders who were keen to support such an event.

There are 7 award categories:-
1.  Life-time of Service to the Community Award 
2.  Pacific Business Male Award        
3.  Pacific Business Female Award 
4.  Pacific Arts Award        
5.  Pacific Community Male Award 
6.  Pacific Community Female Award 
7.  Pacific Youth Sports Award

Entries for nominations are invited from the Pacific community.  The closing date is Monday 11th August, 2003.

Award winners will be announced on the 1st of September 2003 at a special presentation dinner at the Wellington Town Hall.

Lavea’i Trust acknowledge and thank the following business leaders Fata Letoa, Paul Ritemanu, and Fitu Ah Young for their commitment and support of the vision.

Lavea’i Trust also wish to thank Janice Umaga, Fifita Saluni, Sara Vui-Talitu, Va’a Makisi, Benjamin Makisi, Joe Sauvao, Naomi Lima, Suafole Gush, Rev Fatu Tufuga, Caren Rangi, Tofiga Fepuleai, Shalleen Hern, Andre Afamasaga, Dyason Kuresa, private and public sectors and the Pacific community for their contribution.

PROJECT TEAM
               *  Naomi Saluni (Lavea'i Trust Inc.)
           *  Fata Letoa (Paua Graphics Ltd.)
           *  Paul Ritemanu (KPR Catering)
           *  Fitu Ah Young (Pacific Business Trust)

::..introduction