Event Management students test skills at Diwali
Anyone who was out and about in Auckland city over the weekend will have noticed the sights, sounds, tastes and energy of India at the annual Diwali (Festival of Lights) at Aotea Square.
Getting involved
Contributing to this all consuming experience was three classes of event management students from AUT University, who had the opportunity to get involved with the Auckland Council-run event.
Event production paper lecturer Alison Booth says the paper gives students the opportunity to apply theory with real industry clients.
“Students are taken from the safety of the classroom into the event industry arena. Key event management principles are applied by forming teams and figuring out how they can add value by producing unique event concepts that conform to the requirements of their industry client.”
Different roles
This year the students had a variety of roles within the event from general observation of how a big event runs, to helping with rangoli and lantern-making workshops, to presenting their own activities during the course of the weekend.
Two groups of students ran an Indian-themed photo booth with the help and sponsorship of ZM and another set up a ‘Wall of Fame’ for festival goers to write messages on with the sponsorship of Resene.
The class also organised pre-events early last week with a Bollywood flash mob at the Auckland City Library, a Bollywood dance performance on Lorne St and the photo booth, Photo Yadem.
Dan Harrison event producer at ATEED says working with AUT and the students has been great.
“We were really excited to be working with AUT and the event production class. It’s been great to be able to offer opportunity where the students can translate what they’ve learnt in class and apply it to the Diwali Festival. We look forward to working with AUT again.”
About Diwali
Auckland’s Diwali Festival celebrated Indian culture with a weekend of entertainment in Aotea Square and the Aotea Centre.
The Diwali Festival was proudly presented by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development in partnership with the Asia New Zealand Foundation and with support from AUT and other sponsors.