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Ageing Gracefully
As we grow older life becomes more fragile and our health can decline rapidly. This course is designed to help us avoid some of the pitfalls so that we might age gracefully.
Gardening the Garden City
Jeremy Hawker has extended his role from the Botanic Gardens. He is now operations manager for all the City Council gardens and heritage parks.
How Hillary and Donald are the Offspring of Barack Obama
University of Canterbury associate professor and historian, Peter Field was a classmate of US President Barack Obama, at Columbia University in the 1980s. He will enlighten us about the US presidential elections that occur a week later.
Solar Power in Tonga and the Pacific
Pat is Emeritus Profesor University of Canterbury and has expertise in renewable energy Systems (wind and solar energy systems) for remote locations.
The Future of the Media
Martin van Beynen is very well known to all readers of our Christchurch newspaper ‘The Press’, where he is a senior journalist and leading columnist. He is noted for his frank opinions and does so weekly in his columns. We can expect a stimulating presentation.
What Constitutes a Meaningful Life?
In our lifetime New Zealand’s population has become culturally and spiritually diverse. No longer is it almost solely Christian. Your neighbour today may be Muslim, Buddhist, a Sikh, Confucian, or Baha’i and there is a growing likelihood that they will have no religious affiliation at all! So what do the various religions or secular beliefs mean in terms of what makes life meaningful to the person living it?
Four speakers, from different religious or philosophical backgrounds will present their view of the World and in so doing share their views on five central issues allowing us to see the similarities and differences between them.
1. The creation of the Universe.
2. The existence and nature of any supernatural being.
3. Communing, as in prayer or meditation with a non-physical presence.
4. An afterlife and the forms it takes.
5. Worship, rituals, spiritual leadership, a basis in scripture.
The question is, “Just how do people’s beliefs influence the way they live and in a manner that is meaningful for them?” An interesting question, eh?
The Rise of China – an Overview
Alan Blackburn has an MA Hons. in Geography from Otago University. He has travelled extensively in China and has developed an academic interest in ‘China’s Rise’. He attributes his interest in the Asian sphere to the late Ron Lister (Otago Geography professor) and courses run under the leadership of Prof. Angus Ross.