By David Zwartz for J-Wire

The commemoration of what would have been Anne Frank’s 90th birthday, had she survived Bergen-Belsen, was a double event for the Wellington Jewish community.

As well as planting the first 15 trees in a planned Grove of Remembrance for Anne, close to the capital’s centre, there was the launch of the first translation of her Diary of a Young Girl into the M?ori language.

Over 200 guests packed into Rongomaraeroa, the M?ori marae at the national museum Te Papa, for a heartwarming coming-together of the Jewish, M?ori and Dutch aspects of the diary, its translation and its publication.

With the Governor-General, Members of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps, and leaders of the M?ori, Jewish and Dutch communities among the guests, there was a warm response to all speakers and the musical entertainments…

Read David Zwartz’s full article on J-Wire here.

Also, read Wellington remembers Anne Frank – and the years she could have lived here.