New Zealand's race relations commissioner Meng Foon will visit Whanganui as part of Race Unity Week.
The week began on Monday and ends with Foon's visit on Saturday morning. The former Gisborne mayor of 14 years, who speaks English, Cantonese and te reo Māori, was appointed race relations commissioner in August last year.
Foon arrives in Whanganui for a brief pōwhiri on the riverbank near the Waimarie Wharf on Saturday. After that, he has time to tour the market before moving to the UCOL Whanganui atrium for food and a performance.
He leaves just after noon. He is expected in Christchurch on Sunday, the first anniversary of the 2019 mosque shootings.
Leading up to his Whanganui visit, the UCOL atrium will be enlivened by cultural displays, with activities between 11am and 2pm.