Racism

Anti-Racist and Intercultural Development Education explores issues of racism, discrimination, cultural diversity, migration and identity at both a local and global level. It challenges the images and stereotypes of people from the developing world and draws parallels between the experiences of young people from minority groups in ‘developed’ and developing countries.

It resists the dominance of one culture over another and fosters respect for different cultures and ways of living by providing an insight into the diversity and interdependence of people worldwide.

Racism is the belief that some people are inferior because they are born into a certain ethnic, racial or cultural group. This belief leads to attitudes of prejudice and acts of discrimination. It reinforces relationships of unequal power.

A group of young people from Ógra Chorcaí youth organisation spent a day engaged in activities exploring the lives of nomadic people throughout the world. The way of life of nomadic people such as the Kazakhs, Masai, Roma and Tuaregs were examined through art, cooking, mapping games and other fun activities. During the discussions, the young people were asked about Ireland’s own nomadic people. Stereotypes about Travellers were aired. One of the participants was himself a Traveller. Through his participation in the session, he came to understand that his traditional way of life was mirrored and respected in other parts of the world. As a result of this process, he gained the confidence to challenge the other people’s negative attitudes towards Irish Travellers. One of the significant features of the day was that, rather than exploring racism towards Travellers at a local level first, the young people looked at the experiences of nomadic tribes at a global level. This helped the young people to shed new light on the local situation of Irish Travellers, to validate the experiences of one young Traveller and to increase their knowledge and respect for cultural diversity.

Every year, the National Youth Council marks Anti-Racism and Intercultural Week (which includes March 21 – UN designated International Day against Racism) by promoting and supporting strategic initiatives to combat racism in the youth sector.

NYCI recently completed a Report of Recommendations for an Intercultural strategy for the Youth Work, with the support of the Youth Affairs Section of the Department of Education and Science and the National Action Plan against Racism

Related Activities

What Can You Do?

Find out about organisations that work with minority ethnic groups in your area and invite a representative to give a talk to your group.

Organise an intercultural evening in your youth club and invite minority ethnic communities to share food and music.

Dates for your Diary

• 21 March – International Day against Racism
• March – Intercultural and Anti-Racism Week
• 30 April – Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom ha Shoah)
• 20 April – World Refugee Day
• 9 August – International Day of Indigenous People
• 9 November – International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism
• 18 December – International Migrants Day

Links

National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism
www.nccri.ie