Project releases school video on racism

KNOW Racism, a national anti-racism campaign, has launched an educational video aimed at secondary schools with a view to raising awareness of race concerns in the classroom.

Dealing with such issues as tolerance, respect, diversity, discrimination, racism, stereotyping and multiculturalism, the video is designed as an teaching aid on the topic of racism and interculturalism.

Know Racism chairman Joe McDonagh is convinced that educational initiatives like this can make a difference in building awareness of racism in Ireland.

Speaking at the announcement of details of the video, Mr McDonagh said: “It is in the schoolyard where discrimination and prejudice can often begin to emerge. We hope the video will create an interactive discussion tool for both teachers and students and stimulate an awareness of racism among students in Ireland.”

The 25-minute video was produced in association with RTÉ and contains excerpts from the ten-week Mono series, which was broadcast from April to June this year.

According to Shalini Sinha, presenter of the RTÉ programme and an anti-racism trainer and consultant: “Our education system is an excellent place to work to address racism in society, not because racism persists here more than anywhere else, but because this system helps shape how we understand our world.

“Racism affects all of us, and teachers and students alike need opportunities to talk about it and learn,” Ms Sinha said.

RTÉ commissioning editor Mairéad Ní Nuadháin, who developed the Mono series, said: “We are delighted with the success of the Mono series so far. With audiences as high as 25% at times, it was clear that there was a huge interest in the stories of people from different ethnic backgrounds living and working in Ireland.”

The series would return next year, Ms Ní Nuadháin added.

The video is targeted at transition-year students, as part of the Civic Social and Political Education module in secondary schools. It has been previewed by the Department of Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.