The Ashburton Public Library is preparing to host a national exhibition telling the stories of recent immigrants to New Zealand and their new lives.

Immigrant Journeys will feature photos and storyboards, with QR codes that take visitors to a video story, and is part of a project funded by the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and Rata Foundation.

It will be set up in the main public area of the library and run from 1 May until 26 May.

To coincide with the exhibition, the library will also run a Saturday morning talk for people to learn about the hijab (headcovering).

The library and Hakatere Multi Cultural Council have organised a conversation with members of our community who wear hijabs and who are happy to talk about their stories. It will run from 10am-11.30am on Saturday 13 May.

Immigrant Journeys aims to share the rich diversity that our most recent immigrants have brought to New Zealand. Through their skills, cultural backgrounds and experiences, they strengthen and add immense value to this country and help shape its future.

The exhibition is an original idea of the Lady Khadija Trust in collaboration with Telling Lives and Janneth Gil Photography.

See more about the exhibition here.