This story was first published on March 23^rd, 2006.

Intercultural Week in Ballymun

This was a very important week in Irish society and was supported and promoted by a number of national bodies, particularly the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) and the Equality Authority. It an from the 19th - 25th March.

Some of the members of Ballymun Intercultural Group with Chinedu Onyejelem(Metro Eireann): Front Row (l-r), Siobhan Currans(St Margarets Traveller Association, Catherine Lane(Ballymun Partnership), Mary Mooney(Dublin City Council). Back Row (l-r) Emma Freeman(Community Action Programme), Garda Micheal McGreal, Bernie Kavanagh(Resident), Chinedu Onyejelem(Metro Eireann) and Ann Scully(Mercy Justice Office).

Declan Dunne(CEO, Ballymun Partnership), Siobhan Currans(St Margarets Traveller Association) and Chinedu Onyejelem(Metro Eireann).

On the 21st March Ballymun Intercultural Group hosted a coffee morning to mark European Day against Racism. This year's theme as part of the National Action Plan Against Racism is participation.

Chinedu Onyejelem of Metro Eireann, Irelands only multicultural newspaper, launched the new leaflet developed by Ballymun Intercultural Group detailing the aims and objectives and future work they were to be engaged in (See download link below). He spoke about his own experiences and also about the media portrayal of new communities living in Ireland from his experience as a journalist. He particularly highlighted the positive presence of senior gardai from the area and stressed the importance of breaking down barriers between the gardai and new communities. There was a questions and answers session and an opportunity to get copies of the latest publications from the NCCRI and the Migrant Rights Centre as well as copies of Metro Eireann.

Pictured above are some of the attendees and the members of the group.

On the 23^rd March, Ballymun Intercultural Group displayed a video in the Civic Offices, Ballymun about asylum seekers and refugees. It highlighted some of the issues surrounding media coverage of the issue and also dispelled some of the myths and misinformation that have been reinforced by the media and other systems. It was a very thought provoking piece and there was a good discussion afterwards in relation to the isolation and discrimination experienced by asylum seekers and refugees.

Click here to download your copy of the BIG Information leaflet. The leaflet is in Acrobat (.pdf) format. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, click on the button below to download a free copy.