Students Join Hand of Friendship
Catriona Ruane, Northern Ireland Minister for Education joined Denis Rooney, Chairman IFI, Sean Haughey, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning and Educational Disadvantage and Della Clancy, CEO Junior Achievement Ireland to launch the JA/IFI cross border cross community project, Hand of Friendship.
Funded by the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), through its Sharing in Education programme, almost 1200 senior primary students in 16 schools covering Counties Tyrone, L/Derry/Derry, Monaghan, Armagh, Louth and Down will take part over the three year duration of the project. Hand of Friendship aims to create solid cross-border and cross-community links by examining the causes of sectarianism and promoting reconciliation with young people in their last two years of primary school.
Students enjoying Module One of the Hand of Friendship in Armagh
Since its launch this term almost 400 primary school students from both sides of the border have participated in the first two modules. Students worked through activities on friendship and questioned the importance of religion when making friends. They also discussed conflict, how to solve it and also addressed sectarianism through a series of group activities. The students are looking forward to getting together for the remaining four modules in 2011. Their parents are invited to take part in a diversity seminar and to help out in the final module, Working It Out.
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