By Amy Corser, DIS Cross Cultural Communication student, spring 2015
Over sixteen years ago, the Good Friday peace agreement was put forth to end the violent conflict in Northern Ireland by the creation of a power-sharing government.
After this agreement was installed, it was viewed around the world as a model for how to resolve cultural conflicts. However, upon entering Belfast, I found a city profoundly divided in nearly every sense of the term.
In fact, The Troubles still seem to permeate Belfast in almost every aspect of civil life. From the separate schooling systems to the 30-foot-high walls snaking through the city, dividing Catholic neighborhoods from Protestant, the effects of The Troubles can still be seen within Belfast today.
The city’s history has undoubtedly been marked by the violent conflict between Irish Catholics and Ulster Protestants; however, the root of this conflict is unknown. Many believe conflict in Belfast began as early as the 1920s, when rioting broke out in the city between Catholic and Protestant groups.
Others believe that it wasn’t until the second half of the 19th century when the conflict arose, as religious tensions and widespread discrimination festered below the surface of the city. Nonetheless, the city erupted into violence in August 1969, when religious rioting broke out in the city, as the people of Northern Ireland desired to remain part of the United Kingdom.
This violence intensified in the early 1970s, with rival paramilitary groups being formed on both sides. Thus, bombing, assassination and street violence formed a backdrop to life in Belfast throughout the seemingly inherent war, otherwise known as The Troubles.
Today, political leaders in Northern Ireland are still struggling to bring Protestant and Catholic groups together; or keep them apart depending on their politics. And although The Troubles officially ended in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement, many citizens still lack a sense of security.
However, in recent years, Belfast has made great strides towards peace with the institution of various laws, agreements, and organizations that promote goodwill and understanding between parties.
More specifically, the incorporation of integrated schools in Northern Ireland has brought the region closer to the possibility of a nonviolent future. These schools reflect the Good Friday Agreement, put forth as a commitment to “the mutual respect, the civil rights and the religious liberties of everyone in the community.” Hazelwood Primary School is just one of these integrated schools in Belfast, and has grown to become a symbol of hope.
Racism is taught – let’s avoid it
Hazelwood Integrated Nursery and Primary School was built in 1985 under the notion, “no matter what faith background, you are welcome here.” The school is made up of 40% catholic children and 40% protestant children, leaving the remaining 20% of children from other religious backgrounds.
This balance of children promotes osmosis, as children are free to express their religious and cultural differences to one another in a safe environment. Beginning at just the age of three, Hazelwood students are given the opportunity to grow in an environment that promotes understanding rather than highlighting each other’s differences.
Students form resilient relationships with their classmates, as they are encouraged to participate or observe religious activities other than their own. Hazelwood Principal, Patricia Murtagh, explains that in an area undergoing seemingly endless conflict, “the only solution [is] to educate children together,” as they are the future of society.
I firmly believe that children are not, by nature, racist. Nor are they born with negative assumptions about those people in any definable group.
Children simply seem to have a keen inborn sense of justice that runs deep inside of them. Looking back at my own childhood, I can remember times when I, or someone I cared about, was attacked, verbally or physically. In these situations, I didn’t have to be told that this treatment was wrong and should be stopped immediately. I just knew.
Therefore, we don’t have to teach children respect for people of other backgrounds. We simply need to preserve their trust in themselves and others, as well as their inherent sense of justice.
This is especially important in areas such as Belfast, where discrimination and violence between Protestants and Catholics still lurks within the city. By allowing a child to grow in an environment where they feel safe and strong, he or she will respond negatively to racism, whether it’s directed at them or at someone else.
In an excerpt from the Hazelwood website, Murtagh explains:
“We are an integrated school and in this environment we talk about who we are and what we believe. – We respect our own and others’ cultures and backgrounds and take on the challenges that living in Northern Ireland continues to present.”
In my opinion, this statement embodies the unique power of Hazelwood, as it provides children with safe haven where they are free to practice what they believe, are encouraged to understand each other’s differences, and are motivated to create a better future.
Although less than ten percent of children in Northern Ireland attend integrated schools, these institutions may just be the spark needed to ignite a widespread discussion of peace.
American civil rights activist, Rosa Parks, once said:
“Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.”
Cross Cultural Communications in Belfast 