A mosaic of peace
H
azelwood Integrated primary
school in North Belfast sits
on the boundary between
two communities that were
once at war: Catholics on one side
and Protestants on the other.
“Traditionally, this was a very
troubled space,” said Patricia Murtagh,
the school’s Principal. “We used to
come in after a summer of strife, picking
up the pieces of the fighting that went
on in the local community. That’s
unheard of nowadays.”
At the height of the troubles,
integrated schools like Hazelwood
were beacons of hope in a divided
land, breaking down barriers betweenCatholic and Protestant communities
by welcoming children from both sides.
They began in the 1970s, in response
to a segregated education system that
perpetuated religious divisions, but it
wasn’t until 2019 that the movement
was nominated for the Nobel peace
prize. “It felt like we finally had some
recognition for the work we have been
trying to do,” said Murtagh. “We were
very pleased.” Today there are 65
integrated schools across the country
and demand appears to be increasing:
a 2018 survey by the Integrated
Education Fund found that almost
67% of parents in Northern Ireland
would support a move by their school
to become integrated. “There’s a long
way to go,” said Murtagh. “We’re still
only a small percentage of schools.” The
priority of integrated schools is to teach
the curriculum effectively while also
encouraging children “to challenge
stereotypes, ask questions and deal
with conf lict.” The movement has
caught on in other divided lands,
too. In Israel, a growing number of
integrated schools are bringing Jewish
and Palestinian children together
(Palestinians account for almost a
quarter of Israel’s population). But,
unlike in Northern Ireland, there is also
a language gap to bridge. “I think we
are creating a model of what Israel can
and should look like,” said Lee Gordon,
co-founder of Hand in Hand, which
has six integrated Jewish-Arab schoolsTHE INSPIRING, INCLUSIVE ETHOS OF NORTHERN
IRELAND’S INTEGRATED SCHOOLS HAS BEEN
REPLICATED IN OTHER DIVIDED LANDSBy GAVIN HAINES
GOOD THINGS
POSITIVE NEWS* FROM AROUND THE WORLD
in Israel. Students learn both Hebrew
and Arabic at the schools, and Hand in
Hand also facilitates meetings between
parents. “We organise discussions,
picnics, integrated sports teams,
community gardens, dialogue groups,”
said Gordon. “Parents are often not
used to meeting each other.”
Gordon says nothing is taboo at Hand
in Hand. “We allow parents and kids
to express their opinions, as long as they
do so in an atmosphere of respect,” he
explained. “Then they have to listen to
others.” Hand in Hand teaches around
2,000 students and plans to open more
schools throughout Israel. “Integrated
schools are part of a mosaic of
peacemaking,” said Gordon.
Murtagh agrees. “I believe that we
have had a positive effect on our road,”
she said. “It’s a different place now.”The Happy Broadcast
Taken from The Happy Broadcast by Mauri
Gatti. Follow @the_happy_broadcastIn Israel, integrated
schools bring Jewish and
Palestinian children and
parents togetherGAZETTEA mosaic of peace
H
azelwoodIntegratedprimary
schoolinNorthBelfastsits
ontheboundarybetween
twocommunitiesthatwere
onceatwar:Catholicsononeside
andProtestantsontheother.
“Traditionally,thiswasa very
troubledspace,”saidPatriciaMurtagh,
theschool’sPrincipal.“Weusedto
comeinaftera summerofstrife,picking
upthepiecesofthefightingthatwent
oninthelocalcommunity.That’s
unheardofnowadays.”
Attheheightofthetroubles,
integratedschoolslikeHazelwood
werebeaconsofhopeina divided
land,breakingdownbarriersbetweenCatholicandProtestantcommunities
bywelcomingchildrenfrombothsides.
Theybeganinthe1970s,inresponse
toa segregatededucationsystemthat
perpetuatedreligiousdivisions,butit
wasn’tuntil 2019 thatthemovement
wasnominatedfortheNobelpeace
prize.“Itfeltlikewefinallyhadsome
recognitionfortheworkwehavebeen
tryingtodo,”saidMurtagh.“Wewere
verypleased.”Todaythereare 65
integratedschoolsacrossthecountry
anddemandappearstobeincreasing:
a 2018surveybytheIntegrated
EducationFundfoundthatalmost
67%ofparentsinNorthernIreland
wouldsupporta movebytheirschool
tobecomeintegrated.“There’sa long
waytogo,”saidMurtagh.“We’restill
onlya smallpercentageofschools.”The
priorityofintegratedschoolsistoteach
thecurriculumeffectivelywhilealso
encouragingchildren“tochallenge
stereotypes,askquestionsanddeal
withconf lict.”Themovementhas
caughtoninotherdividedlands,
too.InIsrael,a growingnumberof
integratedschoolsarebringingJewish
andPalestinianchildrentogether
(Palestiniansaccountforalmosta
quarterofIsrael’spopulation).But,
unlikeinNorthernIreland,thereisalso
a languagegaptobridge.“Ithinkwe
arecreatinga modelofwhatIsraelcan
andshouldlooklike,”saidLeeGordon,
co-founderofHandinHand,which
hassixintegratedJewish-ArabschoolsTHEINSPIRING,INCLUSIVEETHOSOFNORTHERN
IRELAND’SINTEGRATEDSCHOOLSHASBEEN
REPLICATEDINOTHERDIVIDEDLANDSByGAVINHAINESGOOD THINGS
POSITIVE NEWS* FROM AROUND THE WORLD
inIsrael.StudentslearnbothHebrew
andArabicattheschools,andHandin
Handalsofacilitatesmeetingsbetween
parents.“Weorganisediscussions,
picnics,integratedsportsteams,
communitygardens,dialoguegroups,”
saidGordon.“Parentsareoftennot
usedtomeetingeachother.”
GordonsaysnothingistabooatHand
inHand.“Weallowparentsandkids
toexpresstheiropinions,aslongasthey
dosoinanatmosphereofrespect,”he
explained.“Thentheyhavetolistento
others.”HandinHandteachesaround
2,000studentsandplanstoopenmore
schoolsthroughoutIsrael.“Integrated
schoolsarepartofa mosaicof
peacemaking,”saidGordon.
Murtaghagrees.“Ibelievethatwe
havehada positiveeffectonourroad,”
shesaid.“It’sa differentplacenow.”The Happy Broadcast
Taken from The Happy Broadcast by Mauri
Gatti. Follow @the_happy_broadcastIn Israel, integrated
schools bring Jewish and
Palestinian children and
parents togetherGAZETTE