Click to return HomeIrelandNorthern IrelandZambia
About 8020Development EducationOur Education WorkOur Research WorkPublications
  Picture GallerySupporting our workLinksContact
Our work in Bray
 

Genocide Explored

Gerry Duffy
Principal. Presentation College, Bray,
assesses the value of the work for one school

"As we progress further into the 21st
century, our technological capacity
increases exponentially, at least here
in the so-called ‘Developed World’,
yet our moral, legal and political
capacities remain stunted by
comparison."

It is widely recognised that schools throughout this island have managed to provide a level of education which is the envy of many countries. The school community delivers a curriculum which is relevant, creative and increasingly inclusive but which is by no means comprehensive. This weakness in the curriculum is perfectly understandable, we cannot do everything, we must choose, we must prioritise. To this end schools are continually examining the cross-curricular threads which reflect the ethos of the school.

The quotation at the head is from an educational resource produced jointly by pupils of Presentation College, Bray, Orangefield High School, East Belfast and 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World. The resource was produced together with a mural and a set of posters on the theme of genocide. The project involved a wide variety of groups working together over a period of months in the lead up to April 2004, the 10th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda. At an obvious level the project marked the anniversary and remembered those who died in such horrific circumstances but we were concerned also to ensure that the educational dimension of the anniversary was not forgotten.

Our transition year students have, over several years, worked with 80:20’s Let’s Talk Programme, we have had workshops relating to native title and reconciliation in Australia and David Ervine of the P.U.P. has worked with groups on issues relating to Northern Ireland. The value for the College of this involvement has been enormous. There is an increased awareness of, and engagement with, issues of justice and human rights among pupils, teachers, parents and members of the local community. Each engagement has been designed to challenge and the boys have developed awareness, skills and above all self-confidence. The level of personal development has been dramatic. Specifically, the mural project taught our boys to work well with those from Orangefield despite the initial nervousness and suspicion on both sides. The long days, including weekends, were a mix of work, informal chat, research, workshops and football. There was a job for everyone who wanted to become involved: preparation, painting, photography, research, design and layout of the resource to name but a few.

The product is magnificent but the process is where the real educational value lies. The personal development achieved by every student was very noticeable. There were several occasions on which the maturity and self-confidence of the group astounded me. One Friday evening I left the group at about 5.30 happy in the knowledge that the mural was almost complete. I returned on Saturday morning to find the lower half of each panel had been painted over in preparation for a new image. The group had decided that the images in their initial work were moving the focus from genocide and that they needed to make a fresh start with new ideas. In this case, as in all our work with 80:20, the "easy option" was not an option.

The growth in awareness of issues relating to justice and human rights is not confined to the pupils. The teaching staff has become more involved in the justice agenda, all coffee and tea supplied to the staff room is "fair trade" produce. Parents have shown a great interest in the 80:20 work and the mural project was covered in the local media and was open for public viewing.

I have learned an immense amount through our joint work and through meeting with the students from Orangefield. I greatly value the warmth and generosity of the welcome I have received in East Belfast from Jennifer Mussen, Principal of Orangefield High School and I look forward to continuing this work in the future

 

  
Genocide Explored
 
 

Jennifer Mussen
Principal of Orangefield High
School in East Belfast gives her
view...

I cannot describe the emotions I felt when I stood before the stunning work that day in the gymnasium at the launch of the wall mural. There was an aura both of dark threat and awful reverence. The impact I felt must be replicated in most who have seen the mural. It is striking because of its size and the sanguine colours used. The biggest impact, however, is when the realisation dawns that the whole epic oeuvre was created from the lads and the inspiration was from the study of dreadful events before and during their lifetimes. Remember that the two groups had never met and had little in common only a few months before. I was struck by the rapport between the students and their mentors. I was thrilled by the way one of our boys - ’Cookie’- spoke without notes to the large assembled company about life in his place.

Hope comes from the understanding of what has been achieved by collaboration across visible and invisible frontiers and gives a positive and creative structure for progress in mutual understanding.

The Mural project has meant so much to all fortunate to have been touched in any way by it. The ramifications are important because the images so carefully crafted hold a message of despair and hope by turn. No one who sees this can fail to stop in their tracks and ponder the evil that still stalks the world, which these young people inhabit. Hope comes from the understanding of what has been achieved by collaboration across visible and invisible frontiers and gives a positive and creative structure for progress in mutual understanding.

I first became aware of the project when I was asked to approve a weekend visit to Bray by a number of Year 12 pupils many of whom were completing their final year of compulsory education. I already knew a little about the work of 80:20 from their presence in East Belfast and, later, in the school. Their Education Officer, John Johnston had made an impact on pupils and was a magnet of interest - he was already involved in teaching the ‘H’stream boys in the ‘Peace 2 project’ and had much success motivating the group of 12 in a unique approach to GCSE Art. When the boys went to Bray I knew that as with an earlier project visit to Birmingham, which focussed on the issue of war, there would be an exhaustive period of research into the theme of Genocide. Amid preparations for the trip there was a genuine curiosity on the part of the boys about what it would be like in Bray. Most had never been to Ireland and were both hesitant and timid about this extension to their somewhat limited experiences living as they do in the ‘ghetto’ which is East Belfast.

 

  

Two of the posters produced as part of the Genocide Explored project.
Poster 1 places events in Rwanda and Northern ireland side by side - we recognise that this is controversial and contestable. The figures presented - 3000 and 1 - represent the ratio of deaths in the two places. How you interpret this equation is up to you.

Poster 2 illustrates the 8 stages of genocide as interpreted by Gregory Stanton of Genocidewatch. Readers might be interested to know that Stanton places Northern Ireland at Stage 5 of the 8 stages!

  
Designed by Breather