Standout event during Social Inclusion Awareness Week in Mayo
As part of the recent Social Inclusion Awareness Week, a thought-provoking seminar entitled Cairdeas le Chéile took place in Ballina Arts Centre, which was organised by the Mayo Says No to Racism group, supported by Mayo County Council in partnership with Ballina 2023.
The seminar, which looked at racism, its origins and effects globally, was opened by Councillor Annie May Reape, leas cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District.
Councillor Reape said that the seminar was organised to positively determine how we can together make our communities be better and safer places for everyone.
She went on to say: “The seminar was a platform to hear and listen to people's lived experience and perhaps question ourselves, our thoughts, our actions, our bias, and our unconscious bias.
Councillor Reape added: “Social Inclusion Awareness Week and events such as this seminar are very much about promoting equality, diversity and social inclusion, encouraging us all to hold out the hand of friendship to people new to our county and to those who already reside here.
“Now more than ever it is important for us to recognise and embrace our similarities, our qualities and what talents and characteristics we all bring to make this county more unique, more special and a wonderful place to live in.”
Deirdre Finnerty, head of community section, Mayo County Council, remarked: “We are delighted to support this very important event on the topic of racism. It is an opportunity for discussion on the topic as well as hearing people’s lived experience here in Mayo and beyond.
“The seminar is a chance for us to learn more but also stand united against racism through our membership and our support of Mayo Says No to Racism group, which comprises ourselves, the local development companies, SICAP representatives and other stakeholders, agencies and organisations.”
Dr. John Mulloy, a lecturer in art history, contemporary art theory and arts-based community development at the Atlantic Technological University, Castlebar campus, delivered the keynote speech on racism and its origins, which was entirely engaging.
As part of his work, John has developed a module on the histories of inequality for a forthcoming part-time MA in Transformative Practices in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in ATU Castlebar. This research formed the basis for an exploration of racism rooted in history.
Speaking at the seminar, Dr. Mulloy said: “The main idea was to look at how racism has changed over the centuries, being based at different times on religious, pseudo-biological or cultural grounds, but always with the idea that some particular group has a perceived unchangeable difference that is regarded as incompatible with the society.”
He went on to discuss how racism is different in each time and place and has a systemic aspect to it.
Dr. Mulloy then facilitated an interview with Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent with The New York Times, who hails from Ballina and lives in Kenya.
Declan talked about racism in a global sense and about his experiences through his work in Sudan, Kenya, Pakistan and other countries that he has lived and worked in. They discussed his journey from Ballina to where he is now, and his 2021 book, The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation, in particular the idea of using people’s lived experiences as the focus of the book.
During the interview Declan analysed the racial tensions in Sudan before exploring the implications of global demographic change, with aging populations in China, Europe and Japan and the massive youth populations across Africa and the implications this might have for the future.
Next to speak was Sharon Murphy, singer/songwriter and an anti-racist activist. Sharon, who lives in the west of Ireland is an Irish person with Caribbean heritage and has experienced the dynamics of racism in Irish society.
Much of her music addresses the exclusion and isolation she feels in her home country. She also has a unique interest in recovering the knowledge of ancient African history that is omitted from mainstream education.
Sharon has worked for many years with the Galway One World Centre as an anti-racism activist. Her advocacy work has involved monitoring racism in the Irish media and successfully engaging with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. She gave an impassioned speech and sang two of her own original songs that spoke to her own past.
A panel discussion on lived experience followed, facilitated by Dr. Mulloy. Panellist speakers comprised Martin Angolo (comedian/writer), Paddy Maughan (Mayo North East SICAP), Celeste Khosa (South West Mayo Development Company SICAP) and Emmanuela Ubah (student of Applied Social Care at ATU Castlebar).
Following the panel discussion there was a questions and answers session where attendees were given the opportunity to further engage with the speakers/panellists on the topic of racism, issues and how to combat such issues.
Afterwards there were presentations from three Ballina community projects with a strong social inclusion emphasis. Alice Dixon spoke about This Giant Tent, a long-term project with Scoil Iosa focusing on the arts and creativity. Bridie McAndrew spoke about the Karen Community Garden and was joined by Fath Hamid from Sudan and My Lay, a Karen volunteer. Ballina 2023 volunteer manager Sheila Garvin spoke about the many communities that have engaged with the volunteer programme throughout the year to round off the morning’s event. The seminar MC on the day was Angelina Nugent.