IN PICTURES: Council’s Good Relations team works with primary schools to explore cultural diversity

The informative workshops were held throughout the autumn months, with the goal of helping local children understand different cultures, while also hearing stories from people originally from countries outside of the UK and Ireland.

Each participating school benefited from four sessions focussed on a different country and culture. This year pupils learnt about Poland, France, Japan and China, with sessions being facilitated by people from these places who have chosen to make our Borough their home.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Stephen Callaghan said, “I very much commend our Good Relations team for this fantastic and interesting project, the aim of which is to provide children with the chance to meet people from other countries, find out about other cultures and ask questions in a safe environment.

“There is always a need to educate and raise awareness on diversity and difference, so that we can all help create a community that is welcoming and accepting of others - when better to start this education than at primary school age.

“This project provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the cultures and traditions that add to the richness and diversity of our Borough and indeed Northern Ireland as a whole, and I would like to extend my thanks to the schools who kindly hosted these workshops.”

During the interactive sessions pupils were encouraged to ask questions, learn songs, participate in dancing and crafts from other cultures, and pick up some new language skills along the way.

The workshops not only provided an opportunity to raise awareness of other cultures and traditions that the children can see around them in their evolving communities, but they also supported schools with delivery of the curriculum for Personal Development and Mutual Understanding and World Around Us.

Good Relations Officer Joy Wisener added: “This year we were able to deliver 40 workshops to around 250 children in local schools and the response has been so positive, we hope to continue with this initiative going forward.

“We live in a changing environment and it’s important to provide our young people with positive expressions of culture to counteract some of the more negative things they will hear.

“Our Good Relations team has a strapline which was inspired by some of our local pupils a few years ago: ‘Peace in our community starts with you’ and we think it is an important message for all of us, not just the children.”

For further information on this project or others, contact the Good Relations team on [email protected]. This project has received financial support from The Executive Office as part of the District Councils Good Relations Programme, and supports the T:BUC strategy (Together: Building a United Community)