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Poster for Language and Culture Week 2025/2026 created by N. O’Keeffe 

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Poster created by Transition Year student, S. Vundhla, celebrating our school’s connections with WorldWise Globals Schools (WWGS) along with the welcome given to all our students, wherever they are from.

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Members of the MCS TY GCE class involved in the planning of the Human Rights Conference, along with Sara Hearty (WWGS Project Officer for the Southern Region)

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Frederick Douglass Students Human Rights Conference at UCC (April 2026)

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Frederick Douglass Students Human Rights Conference at UCC (April 2026)

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This event has been co-ordinated by Cork Educate Together Secondary School (CETSS) on five previous occasions. This year was different because members of our TY GCE class were given the chance to work alongside students from CETSS to plan the conference. Zainab, Ria, Noreen and Emma all volunteered to get involved. They met their counterparts over zoom initially and then in-person when the CETSS teacher, Ms Michaela Kamara-Alfred, brought them to our school for an intense planning session.

The conference took place on 16th April and our TYs, along with students from Coachford College and CETSS attended. A range of workshops were run exploring different global justice issues. These included: Gender Equality and the Maths of Change; Solidarity and the Rights of Migrants; Youth, Creativity and Civic Engagement; Ireland and the Occupied Territories Bill; Financial Justice; Fighting Caste Discrimination. Each student had the chance to attend three of these workshops. Over one hundred and fifty students attended the conference, and it was a memorable event, particularly for our students who had been part of the planning process.

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Sofiia and Tasnia with the Power of Sport: Culture, History and Inclusion award

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PExpo is an Irish national competition and exhibition for secondary school students, focused on showcasing innovative projects related to sport, health, and physical education (PE). This year’s exhibition took place in the Sports Ireland Complex, in Dublin. The competition encourages students to research all things physical education and sport, including the role sport and PE can play on a cultural level.

With the support of their teacher Ciara O’Looney, groups of TYs worked together for four months on their projects. At this year’s PExpo event, Tasnia and Sofiia (TY1) won an award in the ‘The Power of Sport: Culture, History, and Inclusion’ category. Their project was titled 'Sport and PE Across Continents: Comparing Student Experiences in Bangladesh and Ukraine'. It was a great moment for the girls to have their hard work acknowledged at this year’s PExpo event.

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Dean Oke facilitated workshops with all Fifth Year students. Dean is an experienced youth worker, engaging with young people through education and creativity. His aim through these workshops was to help our students: develop empathy and awareness of inclusion and belonging; recognise racism and understand the importance of not being a bystander; identify ways to be supportive and inclusive allies in school and in the local community. The workshops provided a creative way for our students to engage with these important issues.

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Special Guest Sarah Hakim, Director of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland / Paula Coakley and Shauna O’Leary (teachers) seated with two Second Year students enjoying the food tasting during the Celebration of Culture and Inclusion

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Celebration of Culture and Inclusion (Dec 5th 2025)

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Celebration of Culture and Inclusion (Dec 5th 2025)

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The Celebration of Culture and Inclusion was once again a vibrant expression of the rich diversity within our school community. The event continues to bring together students, families, staff, local residents, and special guests to share in music, poetry, the spoken word, and food from across the globe. With twenty-five nationalities represented in our student body, the atmosphere was joyful and inclusive, as students proudly spoke about their cultures and traditions.

Irish culture featured prominently, with performances by a traditional music group, set dancing, and readings from Irish writers. We were especially honoured to welcome Sara Hakim, Director of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland as our special guest.

The evening concluded with food tasting in the canteen, where guests sampled delicious dishes from countries as far-flung as Ukraine, Egypt, and Georgia. This part of the night was made possible by the generosity of families and local businesses, whose support we deeply appreciate. Thanks to everyone who supported the event.

Reflections on the event

The event was a great success and left a lasting impression on those who attended. Here are some thoughts about the night, firstly from our special guest, Sara Hakim. “To see the genuine excitement, warmth and pride on display at Millstreet Community School's Culture and Inclusion night last December was a real honour. It was clear that every student was valued and encouraged to shine and be exactly who they are; and that the school, deep into the Co. Cork countryside acts as a proud beacon of diversity where all students are celebrated. Their wonderful and varied performances showcased the variety of backgrounds the students come from in a wonderfully celebratory way. Presenting their well-deserved Champion School of Sanctuary Award was a fitting end to a dazzling evening. Comhghairdeas.”

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Adults from the local community along with the TY GCE class at the coffee morning 

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Intergenerational Coffee Morning (March 2026)

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Intergenerational Coffee Morning (March 2026)

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The aim of the coffee morning was to give the older adults from our local community and members of the TY GCE class an opportunity to share their views on issues such as rural life and farming, immigration and emigration to and from Ireland, and homelessness then and now. It ended up being a chance for everyone to get to know each other, to listen and share stories and experiences over tea, coffee and home-made buns. Those who attended agreed that it was a wonderful event and something that should be repeated.

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TY GCE organisers of the Stamp Design Competition, along with the three winners

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In the run-up to Language and Culture Week, a Stamp Design Competition was organised as part of the school’s Art programme under the theme “We work better together.” Each student was randomly assigned a country and asked to design a stamp inspired by that nation, encouraging them to explore cultural identity through creativity and visual storytelling. The Art teacher, Sandra Moynihan praised the students’ efforts, noting the exceptional imagination, attention to detail, and thoughtful interpretation shown in every entry. She highlighted how each stamp reflected not only artistic skill but also a deeper understanding of global cultures and the importance of community and collaboration. There were three overall winners of the competition.

Ms Moynihan extended her congratulations to all participants, expressing how proud she was of the creativity and effort shown across all entries. A special word of thanks was also given to Construction Studies teacher, Shane Breen, for crafting the beautifully made plaques awarded to the winners.

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Members of the TY GCE class along with Third Year students 

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Unconscious Bias and Gender Equality Workshops (Jan/Feb 2026)

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Unconscious Bias and Gender Equality Workshops (Jan/Feb 2026)

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Unconscious Bias and Gender Equality is the title of a presentation given by eight members of the TYGCE class to Third Year students during their SPHE and Guidance classes. They led each tutorial in two sessions exploring the part that gender bias can play in perpetuating inequality between men and women in ways that we may not even be conscious of. This can force people to hide their true identity and take on roles and wear ‘masks’ that we think society expects of us. In this respect both men and women would benefit from greater gender equality as the pressure to conform to unfair societal expectations would be reduced.

These lessons are an example of peer education, which is when students are given the opportunity to educate their classmates or pupils in other year groups about a certain topic. The eight TY students who volunteered to take on this topic are to be commended for being willing to address such a relevant issue with their peers. The effects of unconscious bias are seen in everyday life, so it is an important issue to address.

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Some of the students who took part in the Languages film and the Culture and Inclusion Night, December 2025

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Languages film

The TY GCE class decided to make a short film featuring the word ‘Welcome’ in the different languages spoken or taught in our school. Editing and producing all the recorded material was a painstaking task undertaken by Zainab Rauf and Noreen O’Keeffe (TY1).  The completed film was shown for the first time during the Celebration of Culture and Inclusion.  Here Zainab reflects on the value of creating the film. “I think each word carried culture, identity, and warmth. It reminded me how simple words can build real connections. Even with our differences, the meaning of “welcome” is universal. It’s a gesture of kindness and belonging. In a divided world, moments like this bring us closer. They show why understanding and respect matter. Sometimes, it all begins with one word: welcome.”

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World in our School Quiz (Language & Culture Week April 2024)

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World in our School Quiz (Language & Culture Week April 2024)

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Members of the TY GCE class decided to update the quiz used in the previous academic year.  Katie Sheehan, Laura Dineen and Elizabeth O’Mahony (TY1) took responsibility for this. Rounds included identifying national flags, borders, the relative size of countries, the colonial powers in charge of African countries when they gained independence, traditional food and famous landmarks.  The aim of the quiz was to reinforce just how culturally diverse our school community is and that this is something to celebrate and cherish. The winning pairs from each year group received a commemorative bookmark. The highest score in the school was achieved by TY1 students Casey Drummond and Mark Hickey (73 out of 81)

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Clara Dies Expectat means 'brighter days ahead'

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Bliss and Ovidijus with the plaque which had been presented to the school by Sara Hakim in recognition of our status as a Champion School of Sanctuary 

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5/10/2022

Deputy Principal Mrs. Frances Moynihan and School Chaplain Mr John Magee travelled to North Monastery Co-Educational Secondary School, Cork to learn from and share good practice with other 'School of Sanctuary' participants.

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We promote all aspects of the growth and development of each student in a warm and caring environment, seeking the best outcome for each student.

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Millstreet Community School was proud to be recognised at a Champion School of Sanctuary in November 2023. We strive to provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

Deputy Principal, Frances Moynihan, first came across Schools of Sanctuary during the Covid lockdown and so began many enquiries and zoom meetings. It was a clear fit for MCS given the inclusive culture and joyous celebration of multiculturalism in the school. Global Citizenship Education (GCE) has long been a guiding principle of the school and this has led to hosting activities, events and multicultural nights for many years.

One could not but be moved by the Multicultural day last November, which culminated in MCS being awarded Champion School of Sanctuary status. Numerous teachers came on board to encourage and support the strong student input. We were blown away by the squad of students who volunteered to take part.

A variety of actions to support and promote inclusion in MCS have become part of the fabric of the school – new Staff are introduced to the concepts of GCE and Schools of Sanctuary during their formal induction, GCE is a firmly rooted module in TY enabling students to deepen their understanding of our connected world in a cross curricular way, a multiplicity of student voices is heard on the school intercom and Sanctuary Scholarships are encouraged to allow access to 3rd level education.

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At MCS, we have begun our journey with Narrative 4 - a global empathy movement that promotes connection through story-telling. In 2022/23, our Transition Year group shared personal stories across the globe, writing letters to other young people in Middlesboro High School, Kentucky, USA. The project is being expanded in 2023/24. Stories break down barriers and shatter stereotypes. “Stories can shape our future with research showing that telling stories of struggles that turn out well can give people the hope they need to live productive lives in the aftermath of major life challenges”.¹

Supporting the Wellbeing of the School Community: Returning to School after Covid-19 School Closure – National Educational Psychological Service. Dublin. August 2020. Watch this space for more N4 projects this year!

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The student body at our school has demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and dedication in their involvement with the anti-racism poster competition. The theme was ‘what does an inclusive, anti-racist world look like?’  With a fervent commitment to promoting inclusivity and eradicating discrimination, students channelled their creative energy into crafting powerful visual messages. They pooled their thoughts and ideas to address the complex issue of racism, and through their artistry and imagination, they've managed to convey the importance of unity and diversity. Each poster is a testament to their collective vision, combining vibrant colours, stirring imagery, and poignant slogans that inspire us all to embrace differences, foster empathy, and stand up against racism. This competition exemplifies how our students are actively engaged in the pursuit of a more inclusive  school environment.
James Kelleher (3Y) received 1st prize and Julia Novak was highly commended for her poster in the 12-15 year old category.  Our school was presented with a plaque to acknowledge the number of entries in the competition received from our school.
The presentation was made by Dr Naomi Masheti (Programme Co-ordinator, Cork Migrant Centre), Ms Fionnuala O'Connell (Youth Co-ordinator, Cork Migrant Centre) and Dr Jacqui O'Riordan (Department of Social Studies, UCC)

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Second and Third Year students involved, Paula Coakley (teacher), Dr James Lawlor and Oisín Cooke (Narrative 4)

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Narrative 4 Workshop (Language & Culture Week April 2024)

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Narrative 4 Workshop (Language & Culture Week April 2024)

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Students across many year groups participated in a Narrative 4 'story exchange' on 16th April. The theme for the workshop was 'Sanctuary'. Students recounted personal narratives on 'a place I feel safe', 'gifting' their story to a partner and receiving another story to experience as their own. The group was given time to share these experiences and after some snacks, came back together as a unit to experience empathy in the room.

In a story exchange, participants do their best to 'walk in each other's shoes' as they take on their partner's story and share it with the group, as if the story was their own. This model of empathy education has been taught by Narrative 4 facilitators the world over, from New York to Palestine and now; Millstreet Community School! Our sincere thanks to Dr James Lawlor, Director of Narrative 4 Ireland, and his colleague Oisín Cooke, for travelling from N4 HQ in Limerick and for engaging so meaningfully with our young people.

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'A place I feel safe...' - Art Competition (April 2024)

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'A place I feel safe...' - Art Competition (April 2024)

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This competition was run by our Art teacher, Sandra Moynihan in the run up to the Language and Culture Week.  The theme for this year was ‘A place I feel safe’. There was a huge turnout of entries showing great creativity and artistic skills around the theme. The overall winners are as follows: First place, Otylia Lyczko 1Y, Second place, Katie O’Riordan 2Y, Third place, Zuzanna Krawiec 1X. When Otylia was asked to describe the ideas behind her poster she said, “For the theme ‘a place where I feel safe’ I decided to draw a person reading a book because I believe there are many advantages to reading. Not only does reading increase your vocabulary, it also gives you a sense of being transported to a new dimension.” Well done to everyone who participated in the competition. It was so lovely to see such enthusiasm amongst the students showcasing their ‘safe place’ through artistic interpretation.

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Students from Transition Year in MCS have been Debating Development, through the Concern Debates Programme. In 2022/2023, six students got stuck into the challenging debate calendar. We had early success against other Cork and Kerry schools. We will again debate with a new (and growing) cohort of team members in 2023/24. Through the research and writing process, students are afforded the opportunity to explore global issues and the Sustainable Development Goals. Our topics this year include economic issues facing the Global South. As well as developing Student Voice, student debaters are encouraged to empathetically explore the issues facing real people the world over. Each year, over 150 schools take part from all corners of Ireland, debating the defining issues of today. We believe engaging with the programme promotes empathy, diversity and critical thinking, as well as instilling confidence in our students to 'speak up' for those who may not have a voice, calling out injustice where they see it and challenging the status quo. We look forward to a very rewarding debate calendar in 2023/24!

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First, Second and Transition Year students involved, with Ciara Walsh (Home Economics teacher)

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Global Food Tasting (Language & Culture Week April 2024)

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Global Food Tasting (Language & Culture Week April 2024)

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Once again this activity which involved TY students, the Home Economics teacher, and younger pupils proved very popular.  Here Katie Sheehan (TY1) explains the process involved.  “Laura Dineen, Emma Byrne, Elizabeth O’Mahony and I asked our Home Economics teacher, Ms Walsh if we could help prepare traditional food for the Culture and Inclusion Night, working with her First and Second Year classes. She said yes and she invited us to speak to her students to see what ideas they had for the dishes. We collected these, discussed them with Ms Walsh before deciding on Pierogi, which is type of Polish dumpling, and Chicken Tikka Masala. On the day of the Culture and Inclusion event we helped the First and Second Years prepare the dishes.  They proved to be very popular on the night and my friends and I were delighted with this outcome.”

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Some of the Ukrainian students in MCS marking their Culture Day

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The Celebration of Ukrainian Culture Day

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The Celebration of Ukrainian Culture Day

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In 2022, a war broke out unexpectedly in Ukraine. Many people, after recovering from the first shock, began to think about what to do next and how to survive and save their children. This is how many Ukrainians ended up in Ireland.

Millstreet Community School became a haven for wounded, homesick souls. It opened its doors to more than 40 Ukrainian children. It was not easy, because adaptation to the new environment was necessary not only for the arriving students, but also for the local children who found themselves among an unexpectedly large number of new people. Children at the school were accepted and helped to adapt and settle. Thanks to the incredible work and help of teachers and pupils, they were made to feel at home here and their souls calmed down a little and revived after what they experienced in their homeland.

The Ukrainian Culture Day was held with a great desire to tell students who live and study here about Ukraine, its people, culture, traditions, peculiarities and similarities. The students prepared a lovely celebration with great care, taking the opportunity to express their gratitude for the warm welcome and shelter they has received. They were both worried and excited in the run up to the event. When the day came they were really happy.

The celebration began when a group of students, the Principal and Deputy Principal were greeted with bread and salt - this is an ancient tradition in Ukraine for welcoming guests.

The young people began their presentation by showing where Ukraine is on the map making it clear that it is not so far away from Ireland. They highlighted how beautiful the cities of Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa, Mariupol, Kharkiv are and what wonderful countryside runs from the Carpathians to the southern steppes.  The Ukrainian children spoke of their interests, things like dancing, gymnastics, boxing, judo, swimming and embroidery.  They felt great pleasure in speaking about their Motherland, because in doing so they were sharing their love and a part of their lives.

The Culture Day concluded with everyone listening to Chervona Ruta by the famous Ukrainian folk singer Sofia Rotaru. The students’ mothers prepared traditional snacks and everyone had the chance to taste the Ukrainian cuisine - cabbage rolls, dumplings, pancakes with sweet cottage cheese and raisins and, of course, borsch.

The Ukrainian Culture Day has helped to show that Ukraine and Ireland has a lot in common. Countryside, the people and even, at times, the weather.  It encouraged all the young people to have a better understanding of each other, to be even more open and friendly. Needless to say, the day was full of emotion too.

Holding the Day of Ukrainian Culture was a joy for us.   It was a great opportunity to get to know each other better, open up our hearts to friendship and express our gratitude for the warm welcome in Ireland.   We were delighted with the reaction of students and teachers from Ireland and other countries to our presentations. It was an unforgettable day.

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MCS is a school that celebrates acceptance of all. All students will always be accepted for who they are in this school community. Everyone has helped to form our bullying policy. It can be difficult sometimes to be your own person and it is of upmost importance that everyone in this school is respected just as they are.

Every year the whole school takes a stand against homophobic bullying- and different year groups dress in the different colours that make up the LGBTI+ rainbow flag.

The school takes a stand against bullying and each year stand in solidarity with one another- keeping all aware of the need to be aware and alert to all forms of bullying and exclusion.

Stand Up Awareness Week means our school takes a stand against homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic bullying that many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) students experience.

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End of year Global Citizenship Education (GCE) newsletters

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End of year Global Citizenship Education (GCE) newsletters

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Since May 2017 the school has published an annual end of year GCE newsletter.  This contains a summary of all the GCE activities that students and staff have been involved in during the year. Many of the items in the newsletter are composed by members of the TY GCE class who are behind most of the GCE activities that take place during a school year. They are well-placed to write about the initiatives they have been behind, ranging from Fairtrade to fast fashion to culture, inclusion and challenging racism. The newsletters are distributed to every member of the school community. It is produced with the support of WorldWise Global Schools (WWGS).

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Winners and organisers of the MCS Global Olympics

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This idea came from the TY GCE class.  They wanted to find a way to give students a chance to engage in sports while learning about the different countries represented in the school. They decided to divide all the tutorials in the school into teams of about six students.  Each group was to be assigned a country represented in the school.  With around twenty-three countries in the school, this meant that each was represented by students from different year groups.  Working with the PE teachers the TYs came up with a plan for each tutorial, where they would represent their 'country' in different sports.  Scores were kept.  This was done with every year group during their PE lessons.

To enable all First and Second Years to learn more about the different countries they were to represent, the English teachers set aside time during their lessons  for each group to carry out research into the country they would be representing and to present a project.  These projects were used to create a quiz during the Language and Culture Week for students and adults.  This made sure that the projects on display were engaged with and were a source of learning and awareness raising for all.

The winners of the MCS Olympics sports elements were awarded medals to mark their achievement.

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Making clothes from newspaper as part of the 'integration programme'

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The ‘integration programme’ was a special initiative that took place after school. Its aim was to unite and promote the integration of young people from different countries. When children arrive in a new country and have a new environment they usually stay apart or in small groups. The programme set out to try and overcome this.

Our goal was to help young people get to know each other, unite them, develop teamwork skills, leadership qualities, overcome shyness and to enable them not be afraid to socialise with each other. This was done through a range of different activities: contests, dances, fashion shows, making clothes from the newspaper, trips to interesting places like the zoo, as well as outdoor games and much more!

Both young people and teachers were extremely pleased with how the after-school integration programme worked. We think it achieved its goal. Children communicate freely, are more sociable, barriers between them have been broken and there is now shared understanding, compassion, kindness and help!

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Students involved in running the Language and Culture Night 2019

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MCS has been hosting events to celebrate the increasing culture and diversity in the local area since 2006.  They began as a single evening event open to the public held once a year at night. These events were really enjoyable but there was a feeling that for all those unable to attend missed out on a valuable event which explored issues around acceptance, inclusion, belonging, identity as well as challenging racism.  To address this and to raise awareness locally, the decision was made to devote a week to events around language and culture, with the night time event forming part of this. The first Language and Culture Week took place in 2022.  As COVID-19 restrictions still applied, there was no public event but a range of activities took place during the week: workshops run by guests around themes such as peace, justice and inclusion, global food tasting supported by the Home Economics department, Showing Racism the Red Card workshop run by TYs for 2nd years, a migration workshop led by TYs, in co-operation with the English department with 3rd years.  In 2023 we were finally able to host a public event: A Celebration of Culture and Inclusion. This was significant for a number of reasons, not least because it was the first event open to the public run in the school since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

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2023 saw a return of a formal celebration of cultural diversity in MCS. Our night-time, community event entitled 'A Celebration of Culture and Inclusion', took place on Thursday 23rd March. Students took centre stage in both planning and performance, with the aim of welcoming as many people as possible to the school. The event was a magazine programme of spoken word, music and dance. We danced and dined on traditional foods from around the world. Highlights from the night included traditional African lullabies, delicious pastry from Georgia, and of course, an address by Mr Homayoon Shirazad. Originally from Afghanistan, Mr Shirazad was able to speak about the challenges facing anyone forced to leave their homeland. Our School of Sanctuary Team was encouraged by his comments, which noted the "lifetime engagement of this school's culture of welcome, inclusion and integration". The night's events were a welcome return to pre-pandemic times as MCS has hosted these celebrations since 2006.

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Alla Kolobova (teacher) with three of our students from Ukraine

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Celebration of Culture & Inclusion (April 2024)

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Celebration of Culture & Inclusion (April 2024)

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An integral part of the Language and Culture Week is the ‘Celebration of Culture and Inclusion’.  The TY planning group were central to the organisation of this special evening, coming up with many ideas around how we might encourage as many people to attend as possible.  We wanted to find ways in which students from different backgrounds could express themselves, whether it be through music, dance, the spoken word, song or traditional food from the country they or their families come from.

The invitation was issued to the whole student body to see who would like to take part and on the night itself students from a range of cultural backgrounds took to the stage and provided a wonderfully varied entertainment. Countries featured included Zimbabwe, Georgia, UAE, Pakistan, Ireland, Poland, Ukraine, and India.

Our special guest speaker for the event was Dr Manizha Khan.  Originally from Afghanistan, she is a dentist by profession and was Dean of the Dental School in the city of Herat.  She came to Ireland when the Taliban invaded Afghanistan and threatened her family, so to save their lives they came to Ireland. Manizha was invited to our school in her role as one of the School of Sanctuary Ambassadors. Sanctuary Ambassadors are refugees or asylum seekers who build bridges of understanding across Irish society by sharing from their experiences of coming to and settling in Ireland. Speaking to the audience during the evening, Manizha spoke about her experiences of being a refugee on two occasions, once as a child having to leave for Pakistan and now as an adult living in Ireland.  She empathised with all those in the audience who have had to endure similar experiences to her own.

Following the entertainment in the library, the audience were then invited into the school canteen to taste food from different countries that had been kindly prepared by the families of our students and the First and Second Year Home Economics class.

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MCS Documentary recorded and edited remotely in 2021.

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MCS documentaries around culture, diversity, belonging and inclusion

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MCS documentaries around culture, diversity, belonging and inclusion

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MCS has hosted language and culture events since 2006.  They were always events that participants enjoyed but we felt that we should find a way of making our message of culture and inclusion available to a wider audience.  We also felt that wider student body should be involved addressing issues around belonging and inclusion that sometimes can be more difficult and challenging. The outcome of these discussions between teachers and students have been three documentaries.  The first one which was filmed in school in February 2020 by Chris Hurley from Cork Film Centre, who also edited it. The title was Belonging.  It was launched in May 2020 and given the fact that COVID-19 restrictions were in place it was good that the documentary was ready to be released on the school's Youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVhZnZpgIQE

In 2021, with restrictions still in place, it was clear that a normal Language and Culture Week could be held, so another documentary was created entirely remotely. It was called, Our School, One World - Culture and Diversity in Millstreet Community School. It featured contributions from teachers, students (past and present), music and a rap composed by TYs under the guidance of Gary McCarthy (GMC).  Also featured were short reflections given by activists in the area of culture, belonging and anti-racism.  Again, in the absence of a physical event we were still able to keep issues around culture and diversity to the fore, making them available for everyone via the school's YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tghRsSM9iKE&t=161s

The third documentary which was created in March 2022.  This was called Millstreet Community School: Language and Culture Week 2022. Although we were now able to hold a Language and Culture Week during the school day, it still wasn't possible to host an event open to the public. The events that took place in school during the week photographed and these featured heavily in the documentary. Members of the local community added their own audio reflections on what culture and diversity meant to them and why challenging racism is important. Outside video contributions were received from a number of people including, Cork DJ Stevie G, Br Kevin Masceranas (Board member of Schools of Sanctuary), Michael Creed (local TD), Amina Moustafa (Board member of Sports Against Racism Ireland), and Niamh Ní Chonchuir (Sanctuary Runners Regional Officer for Cork and Kerry).  Again the documentary gave the wider community the chance to see the variety of activities that had taken place during Language and Culture Week 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YQF5IvSMys

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Students who attended the IMMERSE National End of Project Conference for Ireland, UCC September 2023, along with Dr Jacqui O'Riordan

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MCS was invited to be involved in the IMMERSE project in the early part of 2023.  IMMERSE is 'an investigation into socio-educational integration of migrant children across Europe'.  The research has involved eleven organisations (including University College Cork) in six Europe countries over five years.  Being in involved really tied in with our efforts to 'deepen inclusion' in our school and our commitment to provide all young people, in particular children from a migrant background, with a sense of belonging and inclusion. Dr Jacqui O'Riordan and Dr Shirley Martin from UCC's School of Applied Social Studies asked us if a group of students would be open to helping them test out some of the themes arising from the research and to find ways to communicate these to young people on social media in a way that would engage their peers. For a period of two months three of our Third Year students, Katie McCaul, Sammy Murphy and Lwandle Luyanda Mpofu took on responsibility for uploading poems and images that reflected belonging and inclusion to the IMMERSE Instagram page. In September 2023 the National End of Project Conference for Ireland took place in UCC.  Fifteen of our students were invited to attend and they made a unique contribution to the day by reciting poetry they had prepared on the theme of community and belonging.  Two students (Faith Akinbote and Ema Zefi) composed personal reflections that with the audience. It was a memorable day for all of our group.  The presentation of the research findings, while being aimed at an academic audience did provide our students with the clear picture that the needs of migrant children were being highlighted and taken seriously.

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Posters displayed in school highlighting 'world days' to promote understanding and respect

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Significant dates in the global calendar

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Significant dates in the global calendar

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Throughout the year, posters are displayed around the school to highlight significant days marked by the United Nations and also significant festivals in the major world religions. World Migrants Day and World Religion Day are just two examples. Students are also given the chance to draw everyone's attention to these days by announcing them on the school intercom.

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An initiative that has become part of the annual MCS Language and Culture Week are the 'country doors'.  Classroom doors are used as a means of acknowledging and celebrating the different countries represented in our school.  The process involved the students whose families come from these countries being asked for ideas  about what they think their 'country door' should feature.  They might suggest tourist attractions, national dishes, sports played, famous people.  Images of these items are obtained on-line, they are printed and laminated.  The doors always feature the national flag, a map and name of the country.  Students whose country is being represented are invited to decorate their national door.  The 'country doors' make sure that everyone in the schools knows all the countries that are present.  It gives everyone a chance to learn about parts of the world that they may be unfamiliar with. They are updated each year to take account of new students who come to our school from different countries.

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SRRC TY presentation for TY workshops with 2nd year tutorials

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Showing Racism the Red Card workshop with 2nd years, run by TYs.

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Showing Racism the Red Card workshop with 2nd years, run by TYs.

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As part of the school's annual Language and Culture Week, TY GCE group adapted an educational resource produced by the RedCard.ie aimed at challenging racist attitudes, drawing on links to sporting organisations. The student workshop which was delivered to each of our three 2nd year tutorials by the TYs, examined the groups in Irish society that students thought experienced discrimination. They then focused in on the origins of racism, using the experience of slavery in the US as a starting point. The 2nd years were asked to look at photos of different people living in Ireland and make judgements about their nationality, their occupation, their qualifications, based purely on 'mug-shots'. This led on to a discussion on stereotyping. There was a walking debate where the TYs read out statements featuring common stereotypes to see how the 2nd years would react to them and how they would justify their viewpoint. The workshop ended with groups of 2nd years being given scenarios that could arise in soccer, GAA, rugby or in any sport, where there was evidence of racist attitudes either on the pitch or in the stands. They were asked how might they respond. This led on to a conclusion about the importance of not being bystanders when they witness racist attitudes being expressed. It was thoroughly well planned workshop and the TYs were commended for being prepared to take a stand and speak out against racism.

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Initial 'deepening inclusion' meeting - October 20022

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We have been welcoming students who come from or whose families originate from other countries for twenty-five year now. School life has been enriched by their presence.  We are an inclusive and welcoming school...but there is always more we can do.  With this is mind, Mrs Moynihan (Deputy Principal), Mr John Magee (Chaplain) and Ms Sandra Moynihan (Art teacher) took part in a meeting with the aim of looking for ways to 'deepen inclusion' in our school. The initial gathering took place in October 2022 and involved Dr Naomi Machete and Ms Fionnuala O'Connell from Cork Migrants Centre, Ms Jacqui O'Riordan from UCC, Ms Rosemary McSweeney and Mr Jacques Nsengiyumva from Apple Cork.  It was the start of ongoing engagement. We are grateful that were able to attend the Celebration of Culture and Inclusion that took place in our school during March 2023.

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Workshop exploring the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass, with 1st years, led by TY students.

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Workshop exploring the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass, with 1st years, led by TY students.

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The presentation about the famous campaigner against slavery Frederick Douglass, was first given on-line during lockdown. It focuses on a number of contemporary issues that the life and work of Douglass does connect with. The first part of presentation focuses on the slave trade - how people from west Africa ended up being slaves in the United States. It moves onto Douglass' life and his own experience of being a slave and also escaping from it. It highlights the idea of being an 'ally', as the slave owner's wife who taught Douglass to read was being an 'ally' to him through her willingness to teach him to read and write. Douglass came to Ireland on a speaking tour in 1845-1846, speaking about the plight of the slaves in the US and challenging those who benefitted from slavery in the Britain and Ireland to stop their support for it. Finally the presentation poses questions about the challenges of racism in contemporary society, referencing the Black Lives Matter movement, and returning to the importance of being an ally to those who experience being marginalised in society.

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Before showing films in school we think is in important to consider is there are any stereotypes being reinforced in the movie we are about to show. When it comes to films set in Africa, particularly if focuses on conflict, this is particularly important. The RE department have shown Hotel Rwanda for a number of years. It focuses on the genocide that took place in the country in 1994, the events that led up to it and the international response to it. To put the film in context and to help students realise that the colonial past has a role in the conflicts, like the one in Rwandan, we hold a Colonies Quiz before watching the movie. The students study a You Tube clip that recounts the involvement of European countries in Africa since the 19th century to the present day. They take part in a quiz to see what they have remembered. We also explore the 'true size of Africa' to show that Africa is huge, comprised of fifty-four distinct countries and we can't tall about it like it's one country. We then explore the background to the Rwandan genocide before watching the film.

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A team from SARI have visited the school three times in recent years to work with our First Year students. Through the medium of sport they explored the importance of inclusion and issues around discrimination. The sessions were lively, interactive and the First Years enjoyed them, not least because it didn't matter if you were 'sporty' or not. Everyone was engaged and felt involved.