Families Day

As we all face increasingly tough economic times it helps to remember that the support of those closest to us is often what gets us through. So what better time to celebrate families?

Families Day - 15 May - is a great opportunity for people to remember the benefits of being part of family or whānau. It's also a chance to celebrate our strengths and successes, rather than focusing on the doom and gloom, and an opportunity to remind us all that families matter.

Our aim is to get as many people as possible in New Zealand doing something special with their family during that week. We are encouraging community groups, businesses, in fact anyone who touches the lives of families to host an event or do something special to mark Families Day.

Families Day events calendar 2009

Family Affair - free Families Day concert, Sunday May 10 2009

Theme for 2009

Families Day is based on a resolution from the United Nations General Assembly to promote the importance of families and the issues relating to them. The UN focus this year is on mothers and families: challenges in a changing world.

To mark this the Commission will launch an awareness week on Mother's Day, 10 May, with ongoing promotion and activities through to Families Day on 15 May.

However the Families Commission also wants everyone to stop and think about Why Families Matter? - to you, to your community and to all New Zealand society. How does being part of a family help in your life? How do healthy and positive families help your community or New Zealand as a country? And how do we help each other put family first?

Join the celebration

You can join in the spirit of the Day by organising an event, attending an event, or simply by getting together to do something special with your family.

Tips for holding a successful event

If you are thinking about holding an event our tips on holding a successful event may help you. We've also provided some ideas for possible events.

Past events and ideas

Australia has been officially celebrating Families Day for the past six years and last year had over 1,000 events held nationally. See what types of events they have held as well as some ideas from the United Nations.

To get some ideas from families in New Zealand we asked the members on our online poll The Couch to give us ideas of free fun family activities they get up to. Maybe you could try one out on Families Day.

Resources

We have designed two Families Day posters for organisations that want to promote an event in their community. Ordering of Families Days resources has closed for this year, but don't worry, they'll be available in time for next year's Families Day.

Join us to make Families Day a day where people come together to celebrate what being part of family and whānau in Aotearoa means to them.

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