Mayor Tim Shadbolt, on behalf of the Invercargill City Council, will host a community information meeting on 13 September in preparation for the arrival of the first Colombian refugees to Invercargill in March 2018.

The aim of the meeting is to provide the wider Invercargill community with information about the refugee resettlement process and the plans in place for the arrival of the first group of about 15 Colombian refugees.

“This will also be an opportunity to discuss the settlement challenges and for groups and individuals to identify what they can do in response,” Mr Shadbolt said.

Mr Shadbolt and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Amundsen, Andrew Lockhart (Immigration New Zealand), Rachel O’Connor (NZ Red Cross) and Dawit Arshak (former refugee) will deliver presentations at the meeting.  A panel discussion will follow, enabling attendees to ask questions about the resettlement process.

“The people of Invercargill have an important part to play in the successful integration of refugee families into our community,” Mr Shadbolt says.

• The meeting will be held at Stadium Southland, Living Legends 2 Room, from 7pm on Wednesday, 13 September.