02/04/2008 -

Deputy Mayor Promotes Schools Cross-Border Project

Students from Mercy College, Sligo and Ballee Community College, Ballymena paid a recent visit to Sligo City Hall, as part of the Co-Operation Ireland Project. Co-Operation Ireland began in 1979 as Co-Operation North with the idea that if Ireland was to succeed economically and socially there needed to be better relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Mercy College, Sligo has been twined with Ballee Community High School, Ballymena as part of the project for the past 10 years. Every year students from both schools visit each other and participate in workshops where they try to break down perceived notions they may have about their different cultural backgrounds.

Groups from the schools were welcomed to the Mayor’s Parlour by Deputy Mayor Councillor Declan Bree. Councillor Bree gave the students a brief history of Sligo Borough Council and City Hall. He talked about the importance of schools participating in the Co-Operation Ireland Project to gain a better understanding of different cultural backgrounds but also in discussing issues which are common to both, such as environment, litter awareness and treatment of the elderly.

Councillor Bree sees this interaction as ensuring non-complacency in the current generation as he states that ‘We have a collective responsibility to be vigilant against any manifestation of hostility or prejudice, and I feel as a Local Authority we have a leading role to play in addressing these issues through a process of education and engagement.’

The Deputy Mayor concludes by acknowledging the strong links that have developed between the schools over the years and the benefits of the Co-Operation Ireland project, not only to the participants but also the wider community.