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Our Community

New Zealand Sign Language Week

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New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) week, 5 – 11 May 2025, is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this official language of our country. The vision of NZSL week 2025 is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and we want to build this into our places of learning, work and recreation here at UC. 

Did you know…? 

NZSL is a combination of handshapes, facial expressions and body movements.  

Why join a sign language class?  

Students register because: 

  • They have a friend or family member who signs 
  • They’re studying in a field where having an additional means of communication can be valuable. 
  • They want to add another skill to their CV 

Sign up for sign language! 

UC offers an introductory course and two extension courses. 

Students pay $60 for the block which includes online resources. See New Zealand sign language courses | University of Canterbury.  

Get started with the resources below. 

Our Community, The Community

Wishing you a happy Easter 

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Dear students, 

As we continue to celebrate the diversity of our university community, we recognise the significance of Easter for many of our students and staff. Alongside those who celebrate the holiday as a secular, family or rest time, Lent and Easter remain important religious holidays for many in our community. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ continues to inspire Christians of many varieties and traditions in special times of prayer, service and celebration. 

To all who are celebrating, we wish you a holy, joyous and meaningful Easter. May this time bring you peace, happiness and connection with family and loved ones. 

The UC Chaplaincy team are here to support you and we offer pastoral and practical support regardless of your background or beliefs. We can be found in Forestry 115, and offer spiritual and pastoral care, and practical support, including community lunches, a pop up vege stall, and wellbeing support for students and staff. 

Ngā mihi, 

John Fox, Senior Chaplain 

Our Community, The Community, Wellbeing

Observance of Passover

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Members of our UC community will be observing the Jewish festival Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew) from sundown on Saturday 12 April, to nightfall on Sunday 20 April, (or in the Hebrew Calendar, Nissan 15-22). Pesach celebrates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. You can find out more here. There are varying levels of observance of Pesach among the Jewish community; students in halls of residence or flatting might participate in a celebration of Seder (ritual meal), but not the traditional thorough spring-cleaning of the kitchen. Some will abstain from any leavened bread or products containing yeast for Pesach week, and others (usually for medical reasons) do not.  

We wish all those participating a wonderful Pesach.