Intercultural

Launch of County Roscommon Intercultural Project – celebrating cultural diversity and supporting integration

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Orla Leyden recently launched the County Roscommon Intercultural Project at Áras and Chontae, Roscommon Town recently. People from all across the county from every nationality attended the event, many dressed in their native dress, with musical entertainment provided by a local Slovakian Family band. The foyer in Áras an Chontae was alive with colour, music, singing and dancing and general gaiety at 6pm in the evening of 12th April.

Speaking at the launch, Nora Fahy, Project Manager with Roscommon Women’s Network (RWN) told the gathering

RWN secured funding for an Intercultural Family Sports/Fun Day event from the Department of Justice and Equality, Roscommon County Council Arts Office and Creative Ireland last September. During the last few months RWN have connected with members of many cultures living in the county including, Romanian, Polish, African, Slovakian, Irish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, people from the UK, Brazil, Irish Travelling Community, Syria, Germany, Pakistan, Russia, Croatia, to name a few. The musical entertainment at the launch was provided by a Slovakian family band, their second only performance to a life audience, the first being at the RWN International Women’s Day celebration on 8th March in Gleeson’s Restaurant & Rooms. RWN have helped the family secure a much needed set of drums to complete their ensemble, the drum kit was donated by a family in the county.

Representatives from the various cultures and agencies, facilitated by RWN, have come together over the last few months to discuss and agree what they believed would affect real lasting cultural integration and inclusion, and have formed a project team. Some members of the team from different cultures spoke at the event explaining how they became involved, the difference their involvement is making and how they hope that this intercultural work will continue into the future.   Instead of just one sports event, which was originally envisioned, the group have decided to run soccer, dance, art and drama workshops and camps for children and adults over a six to eight week period in towns around the county.

The Roscommon County council Arts officer Mary Mullins also spoke at the event. Mary explained

“The Roscommon County Council Arts office in association with Creative Ireland are very happy to be offering financial support and to get involved directly in this intercultural initiative, we are delighted that this additional support has enabled the team to expand the project to include art and drama”.

Mary complimented and thanked Majella Hunt, Director of Services in Roscommon County Council and Noel Martin for organising the refreshments and layout for the launch event, Mary also thanked Creative Ireland for sponsoring the launch.

The soccer camps started in March in Roscommon Town, Castlerea, Ballaghadereen and Monksland , supported by FAI development worker Adrian Carberry and volunteer coaches. In her address Nora Fahy gave a special note of appreciation to Sligo Leitrim Roscommon Local links for putting on transport to get people and children to and from meetings and the camps.

The Irish dance classes started recently in Ballaghaderreen led by Eithne Fahy, Fahy School of Dancing. Katia De Nova, speaking at the event explained that Capoeira Classes will begin shortly on Saturday mornings in Upsie Daisies, Roscommon Town. Katia described Capoeira as “a Brazilian Martial Art which has elements of dance and music”. Najila Sabir, formally herself, a refugee from Iraq, now living and working in Ireland for ten years also spoke at the event and she translated some of the speeches into Arabic for the benefit of the Syrian guests from the EROC centre in Ballaghadereen. Najila is currently providing Art classes every Monday between 3 – 5pm in the EROC centre in Ballaghadereen as part of this project. Tina Adagun originally from Nigeria and Patricia Kagodora a native of Zimbabwe, both now living and working in Monskland spoke about how they believed this Intercultural Project was different as it was supporting cultures to come together, learn from each other and work together, recognising and using the strengths and experience that everyone can bring to the team. Melanie Ward, a young woman from Frenchpark said at the event “ I am a proud member of the Travelling Community and I am currently a trainee with RWN Training Services where I have helped with the administration of this project, I am really enjoying learning about other cultures, project planning and admin while also seeing life from others perspective”.

There are approx. 150 children from many different cultures and backgrounds between the ages of 7 to 14 currently attending the weekly soccer camps around the county. They are preparing for a world cup tournament which will be played at the sports day on Sunday 29^th April in the Convent Secondary School grounds. Registration for this sports event has now closed, however, registration for the dance and drama will begin during the summer. At this sports day there will also be coaches from other sports such as GAA, Hurling, Boxing, Hip Hop dancing to name just a few, who will set up stations around the pitch to give children from all cultures the opportunity to take a 20 minute taster of each sport. Nora Fahy explained that “This structure is based on an annual sports event which was held over the last 8 years in Castlerea organised by a voluntary community group, Project Match Castlerea with support from RWN”.   Nora continued “therefore RWN have experience in running inclusive family sports/fun days successfully, but this is our first County Wide endeavour and our Brazilian, Portuguese & Syrian friends are organising a barbeque for the sports day and every child who has pre-registered will receive a jersey when they arrive in the morning”.

The other speakers at the event were Ceila Ribas, Daniella Stoica, Eva Dzurikova and Paula Flannelly. Speakers told their stories of living in County Roscommon, the welcome they received and enjoy to this day and some also spoke about their involvement in planning this launch, the sports day and also the arts, drama and dance workshops which will continue through the summer months and will culminate in a performance event in the Roscommon Arts Centre on 21^st September 2018 to celebrate Culture Day.

In her closing remarks Nora Fahy thanked Majella Hunt, Noel Martin and all the Roscommon County Council Corporate Services staff for arranging the event in their offices, she also thanked Caithaoirleach Orla Leyden, and remarked that Orla had previously served on the RWN Voluntary Board of Directors. Nora also thanked, Mary Mullins, Arts Officer for her support and commitment to the project, Adrian Carberry, FAI Development Officer, Noel Feeley, Roscommon Sports Partnership, The Roscommon Convent Secondary School for the use of their pitch for the sports event, the many sports organisations around the county who have agreed to participate at the sports day, Maria Harris, the RWN Development Worker for her excellent work co-ordinating this project, all the speakers who contributed at the event, the Intercultural Steering committee and project team and the many volunteers from all around the county who are working in the background to support the team.