IWRTW Kiwi Tim Gregory’s Down Under Dispatch :: Viva Waitakere Festival Oct 31st

http://bit.ly/bHh2tq  :: http://on.fb.me/celQlW

We Westies are a fierce lot - fiercely passionate about Waitakere and with an unwavering faith in our collective ability to make anything happen.

Which is no small part of the reason why IfWeRanTheWorld is flourishing here.

Ours is a renowned model of council and community working together for maximum social and environmental benefit, and has spawned many internationally recognized projects with collaboration at their core.

Which is no small part of the reason why the top-down model of the greater Auckland ‘Super City’ (into which Waitakere will, on Nov 1, be subsumed) has not sat well with many Westies. 

That said, what is capital ‘T’ true for for all of us living in the west is that - local council or no - we continue to self-organise, self-manage and self-sustain.  Fiercely, passionately and without obstacle.

In August 2010, Waitakere’s visionary Mayor, Bob Harvey brought IWRTW to New Zealand, welcoming the platform as an essential plug-in to existing initiative, and a spark for new ones.  From this came the many IfWeRanTheWorld Waitakere projects.

Chloe Waretini & Viva Waitakere

Chloe is all things great about the West rolled into one – creative, resourceful, courageous and cool.  On Oct 31st, she has organized the Viva Waitakere Festival to give Waitakere City the final bash it deserves.  Without local Council support (but with their blessing) and with a budget of zilch, she has used IfWeRanTheWorld and the support of local local community groups and businesses to line up great West Auckland talent and everything else needed for a great party.

The Viva Waitakere Festival will take place on Oct 31st, the last day of the city as a celebration of the West, affirming that while after that day Waitakere City will no longer exist in name, the Westie spirit will live on.  Spread the word here and here.

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