Mayor Lianne Dalziel's report from the third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan.
 
I was invited by Hon Gerry Brownlee, Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, to join the government delegation that he was leading to the United Nations 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
 
Having been a member of the Parliamentarians Advisory Committee on DRR to the UNISDR and now as Mayor of Christchurch, I had been invited to present to two working sessions at the Conference (Risk Identification and Assessment and Disaster Risk Management for Healthy Societies) and to participate in a public forum on Effective Implementation of Recovery Plans and Programs.
 
It was on this basis that I joined the delegation.

Kia ora koutou katoa.
 
Can I acknowledge Members of Parliament Hon. Ruth Dyson, MP and Eugenie Sage, MP, Canterbury WEA President David Ivory, UC Registrar Jeff Field and author Ian Dougherty.
 
Thank you for inviting me to launch 'The People's University'.
 
I served as a Trade Union representative on the board of the Canterbury WEA back in the 1980s, and I have been a speaker, a debater and an attendee at many meetings and events over the past 30 year, so that's why I particularly wanted to be here today.
 
It is really great to be part of the centenary festivities.

Thank you for inviting me along to this function, which is dedicated to all ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Christchurch volunteers.
 
The tournament has been a wonderful event for our city. The performance of the Black Caps so far, has made it all the sweeter, of course.
 
Christchurch has hosted three pool matches, and four warm up matches were held.
 
Attendance for pool matches was 18,000, 14,000 and 11,000 – three huge cricket crowds in Christchurch.

Ohaiyou gozaimasu. Good morning to you all.
 
Kazu Shimazaki, Chairman, Japanese Society of Canterbury and Mr Tsuchikawa our Japanese Counsellor - thank you both, the Japanese Society and the Consular office for creating this day of celebration of Japanese art, culture, food and performance.

Kia ora koutou katoa. Can I acknowledge Sir Tipene O'Regan, Ngai Tuahuriri elders, Christchurch East MP Poto Williams, members of the New Brighton Pier, Foreshore and Promotion Society including my colleague Councillor David East, and Herman Pi'ikea – great nephew of Duke Kahanamoku.
 
What a pleasure to be able to join you all today to mark a milestone in our history as a city.