Ceremony celebrates 24 people in Rotorua receiving Kiwi citizenship

Hannah and Michael Alcantara with Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick at the ceremony. Photo / Supplied

It was an "emotional affair" at Rotorua Lakes Council as community members received their Kiwi citizenship at a ceremony earlier this week.

Twenty-four people, originally from countries including the Philippines, England, Iceland, India, Fiji, the Netherlands and United States, became Kiwi citizens on Tuesday.

Malfroy Primary School used waiata and haka to welcome all of the candidates.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick says, as always, this week's ceremony was quite an emotional affair.

She says it was made even more poignant by the situations many of the candidates' families are in back in their home countries as a result of Covid.

"They felt very fortunate to be able to have a gathering with family and friends to celebrate this important milestone, so that made it an even more significant and special occasion."

Simranjeet Singh with Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick at the ceremony. Photo / Supplied

Steve says it was a smaller group than usual with 24 becoming citizens, but as always it was a diverse group of people.

She says they have lived in New Zealand for various amounts of time, originating from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, but all chose to live in our country to enjoy a better life – for themselves and their children.

"Everyone loved the performance by Malfroy Primary School children and it was wonderful to hear quite a lot of te reo Māori being spoken by our new citizens.

"Diversity adds richness to our community. It brings new and different skills, experiences, thinking and ways of doing things, and I love hearing how and why they came to be in New Zealand.

"Their stories always remind me what a great country we live in and to be grateful for that privilege."