Cross- Community

Community Relations Week - Over the past 30 plus years, the field of community
relations has changed dramatically to meet the needs of the people of Northern
Ireland. Today, various groups and organisations work to build positive relations
between the Protestant and Catholic communities in our city and throughout Northern
Ireland. As the population of Northern Ireland grows and changes, community
relations work is broadening to include new religious and ethnic groups. As it has
changed and evolved, community relations has become an established part of the
society of Northern Ireland. Led and organised by PRG staff and generously supported by the Community Relations Council, some of the leading community relation's organisations in the city came together in April 2003 and April 2004 to host Community Relations Week. The week is designed to allow people across the city to be exposed to current CR programmes, explore the potential for CR work in our area and identify CR needs. The events were open to all and were free of charge.

"Community Cleanup: Working Together" - As part of Community Relations Week 2004, The Peace and Reconciliation Group, The Junction, and Towards Understanding and Healing teamed up to bring an active face to community relations in Derry/Londonderry. These organisations invited other local community groups to participate in a clean-up event that featured community workers providing the muscle to clean parks and public spaces all over the city. The idea was to send the message to the people of Derry that community organisation's and community workers are a cohesive unit and are 'Working Together' to make Derry/Londonderry and Northern Ireland a better place. We believe that an event like this not only strengthens bonds between and among community workers but it also gives the wider community a sense of unity and builds confidence in the community work that is being done throughout the city. Several members of the community came out on the day to do a bit of work and enjoy a bit of craic. We were fortunate enough to have dry and sunny weather and were able to be a visible presence in the city as we displayed our new CR Week t-shirts and picked up rubbish.

"You, Me and Them: Children's Art Exhibition" - Also during CR Week 2004, The PRG and Community Relations And Christians took community relations out to the general public in the form of an art exhibition. The aim was to spark interest and discussion around community relations and specifically the theme "You, Me and Them". Art pieces created by primary school children from 8 local primary schools were displayed in two public venues: the Foyleside Shopping Centre and The Millennium Forum in Derry/Londonderry during Community Relations Week. The works of art we received were very creative and offered insight into how the children of this city view our community and the greater Northern Ireland society. We feel that the exhibition was a great success and proved to be a positive contribution to CR Week and raising awareness about community relation's issues. The Exhibition was launched during a short ceremony on Saturday 3rd April at the Millennium Forum and was displayed for the whole of CR week. Although we had hoped to have more people at the launch in the Millennium Forum, it was great to see children come along with their parents to enjoy the exhibition and see their own artwork on display. We received a lot of positive feedback around the exhibition and hope to potentially make this project an annual event.


"Shared Identity: A Photographic Experience " - This project, a part of CR Week 2003, was a brainchild of two PRG staff members, this project originated as a vehicle for examining the city of Derry/Londonderry through "different eyes." With the understanding that looking through the lens of a camera often gives people a new perspective on subject matter that is very familiar to them, it was decided that a photography project that challenged the way that people view the shared space of Derry/Londonderry would be an ideal addition to Community Relations Week. The aim of community relation's work is to celebrate individual cultures, while discovering shared experiences/identities. This project was seeking to do just that. In bringing together Catholics and Protestants who are actively involved in their communities, the project encouraged participants to examine their own identities and other groups with whom they share the city. All eight participants were in their 20s and were both professionally and non-professionally involved in the life of their community. The participants plan to bring the new training and insight gained through their participation in the project back into their communities. Over a period of four weeks, participants in the project were trained by a professional photographer in: the history of photography, photographic techniques and the black and white developing process. Participants were supplied with cameras and film, as well as developing materials. From taking the photos, to developing the film, to hanging the exhibition, the participants did all of the work themselves. The results are sometimes beautiful; sometimes difficult to look at, but speak loudly the story of the city they share.

Corrymeela Family Holidays - Each year Protestant and Catholic families leave L/Derry to go to Corrymeela's Ballycastle centre for a week of fan and relaxation. Led by a PRG staff member, this trip allows families from each community to get to know each other in a non-threatening manner. There is a challenging evening reconciliation programme for adults led by PRG staff, with input from Duncan Morrow, the chief executive of the Community Relations Council A big time commitment for all involved, this has proved to be one of the most successful cross-community projects that PRG is involved with each year.