Runmed March 2001 Bulletin

No. 346 JUNE Bulletin 2006 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY Northern Ireland’s equality Young People understanding tolerance Speak Out change Patrick Yu, NICEM: ‘Today we brought together around 50 something minority ethnic young people to this historical parliament building to debate our own future. – basically our shared future; how the minority ethnic young people see their own future, looking into different areas of concern from them. I think the main purpose is to bring the people together and then discuss the issue that affects their lives.’ Billy Gamble, OFMDFM: ‘As I said to the young people today, the elected representatives from the assembly will be in this building, on the 15th of May, and hopefully will be able to form a devolved government here again. It’s important that the issue the young people are talking about today – this is about racism and whether or not you can do anything – it’s important that this sort of debate that affects the Students grouped in front of Stormont, Belfast, the seat of the (currently suspended) Northern Irish real lives of people is debated in Assembly, on 5 May for a Youth Summit. The Summit was supported by the Office of the First Minister and this chamber. And that’s crucial. Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic And fingers crossed; that will Minorities and the Runnymede Trust happen.’ ISSN: 1476-363X RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2006 1 Working Together – the Strategy Northern Ireland government has developed a race ensure that the strategy and action plans deliver real equality strategy for 2005–10. Published in change for the people of Northern Ireland, we will November 2005, the strategy document sets out the be working with government departments, other principles by which race equality will be delivered in statutory bodies, the voluntary and community RACE Northern Ireland. In April 2006 all 13 Northern Irish sectors, and BME community organisations over the EQUALITY government departments set down the actions they coming year. will take over the coming years to ensure that the The aim of ‘Working Together’ is to bring people strategy delivers race equality for all citizens of together to share their ideas and experiences, to 1 NISRA (2001) Northern Ireland. think about what both government and the ‘Table KSO6 Six principles form the core around which action voluntary sectors can do to promote race equality, Ethnic Group’. should be instigated and coordinated: and to support better policymaking and practice. • Elimination of racial inequality We will be doing this through a series of 2 OFMDFM • Equal protection seminars, debates and conferences with (2005) A Racial • Equality of service provision policymakers, practitioners and citizens of Northern Equality Strategy •Participation Ireland.The process began in May with a Youth for Northern • Dialogue Summit held at the then mothballed home of the Ireland: • Capacity building Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont.This was 2005–2010. These are ambitious aims and principles in a context followed by a seminar gathering together Belfast: Office of that is not the most promising.The inability to form a representatives of government departments and the First Minister devolved government is a symptom of the voluntary/community organisations to focus on the and Deputy First entrenched religious sectarianism that colours the first three principles of the strategy. Major events to Minister of political discourse of Northern Ireland. Action to come include further seminars in September and a Northern Ireland promote race equality must operate within this conference at the end of the year to reflect on what political context, and it takes on a particular bent in we have learnt. 3 RAG (2005) relationship to it. We hope through our input to be able to help Forced to Flee: The population of Northern Ireland was recorded improve the planning around race equality, and guide Frequently asked in the 2001 Census as over 1.6 million people. Out policymakers and community organisations towards questions about of this overall population, 14,279 were from minority working together to make race equality a reality for refugees and ethnic backgrounds – around 1% of the total the people of Northern Ireland. asylum seekers in population.1 However, it is suggested that the To k eep abreast of developments in the project, Northern Ireland, number of ethnic minorities may be as high as read the background papers and sign up for future 2nd edn. Belfast: 45,000.2 The largest minority ethnic group are those events, and visit the Working Together pages on the Refugee Action who identify as Chinese. Even since 2001 there has Runnymede Trust website:www.runnymedetrust.org ❑ Group been change in the ethnic make-up of the Northern Irish population, with 4 Watt and one aspect of the ‘peace dividend’ McGaughey (eds) being increased immigration as (2006) How Public workers from within the EU and Authorities Provide beyond made Northern Ireland their Services to Minority home. Ethnic Groups: Refugees have also moved to Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland as a safe haven. An Ireland, and estimate by Refugee Action says that Scotland; Emerging there are up to 2000 refugees in Findings. Dublin: Northern Ireland.3 Given these trends, National demographic projections estimate that, Consultative by 2030, 5% of the population of Committee on Northern Ireland will be from minority 4 Racism and ethnic groups. Students participate in a facilitated workshop on 5 May inside Stormont Interculturalism Keen to share our learning from the (NCCRI). rest of the UK with policymakers and Rob Berkeley, Runnymede: practitioners in Northern Ireland, ‘The young people are getting the opportunity to think about things Runnymede has put together the practically and then address their thoughts and reflections on that ‘Working Together’ project with the issue to government, community leaders and others. For example, in Office of the First Minister and Deputy one of the workshops they’ll be working in a role-play on how to solve First Minister (OFMDFM) and the problems. In another they’ll be looking at what they want for the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic future and try and express that and build some consensus for what Minorities (NICEM). In order to help the future of Northern Ireland should be.’ 2 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2006 Working Together On 5 May 2006 the Office of the First Minister and at the the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, in coordination with the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities Race Equality Youth Summit (NICEM) and the Runnymede Trust, sponsored a RACE Youth Summit in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In EQUALITY attendance were approximately 50 students from On Changing the Public Debate minority ethnic communities across the Education and Patrick Yu, NICEM: Library Boards of Northern Ireland. ‘If you’re talking about racism it’s about different Student: This Summit was planned in coordination with the levels and issues.The first and foremost is racism in I think the launch of the Northern Ireland Race Equality Strategy our society. Because of the conflict, we more of less government Action Plan – a government plan to set the agenda put racism under the carpet, so we never address or can have redress this issue. It’s only in the last 5 to 10 years that for race equality until 2010 and beyond. In order for the racism issue has become more prominent than in events or fun young people from minority ethnic communities to the past, partly because of the political process days to have a have their say in a national discussion that affects them changing, and partly because there are more minority mix of colours, all, the Youth Summit was convened in an attempt to ethnic people living in Northern Ireland. So, I think not just white, open and widen debate and comment on the Action the racism epidemic is crucial, and we have to tackle black or it on the society level.’ Plan.The young people who attended had much to Chinese so we say on their perceptions of the problems of Northern Student Letter: will get to know Irish society, how to address them, and possibilities for Dear Northern Irish Public, each other the future as well. Do you believe it is right for people to be better. It’s not The Youth Summit aimed to discriminated against? just like, ‘you’re Of course you do because at the moment we can’t • Enable young people from minority ethnic get past the religious barriers. black, I’m not communities in Northern Ireland to influence I choose not to believe that because if there were no talking to you, action to promote race equality choice for us to eradicate discrimination I wouldn’t you’re white I’m •Increase their understanding of the role of be going to an integrated school today. not talking to government and communities in Northern Ireland So if we in Northern Ireland can get past that hurdle, you.’ Mix them why can’t we stamp out all kinds of discrimination? in tackling racisms and building a shared future After all, this country needs a new culture, so why not together so • Allow young people from minority ethnic bring different races. We need a makeover. they’ll get to communities in Northern Ireland to share their I don’t understand why people insist on being racist. know each experiences and identify together ways to respond After all the majority of them want to be tanned other better. to racisms and contribute to building a successful anyway. We need a bit of colour! multi-ethnic society On Finding Yourself ‘out of step’: Rob Berkeley ‘For young people, most of their interaction with the state in particular is through schools.

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