Launch of International Integrated Education Week 2013 (4-10 March, 2013)

Each year, the start of spring is marked by the celebration of Integrated Education in Integrated Education Week.

This year, the event is taking on an international flavour as children from around the world join our local integrated schools in celebrating the work of their schools in promoting respect and reconciliation through education. Through the use of social media, twitter and Facebook, and video technology, real-time communications will draw attention to and celebrate Integrated Education. Schools, children and parents have been invited to create a ‘tweet storm’ in favour of integration by tweeting their comments/support for integration to the hash tag #IIEW2013.

The theme for the week is ‘Me, We, Our World’ and the launch event on Friday 1 March was hosted by Ballycastle Integrated Primary School, Ballycastle.

The school showcased their talents in an assembly entitled ‘Integration FM’, featuring an imaginary radio station that outlines the developments in sending messages and communication over the centuries. The school choir also entertained guests with their beautiful singing.

Ballycastle has increased enrolment by 150% in 5 years from 72 to 180 pupils, highlighting the growing demand for places in education in the Ballycastle area.

It is appropriate then that the launch took place in Ballycastle, famous for the transmission of the first radio signals. Marconi visited Ballycastle in 1898 and from there sent the world’s first live ‘wireless’ report of a yacht race from a ship called ‘The Flying Huntress’ to a shore station at Kingstown (Dublin). It is fitting then that this launch has been promoted through the use of social media.

Glengormley IPS and Cedar IPS joined us through video conferencing to tell us about their plans for IIEW. We had input from guest speaker Patrick McGrath of iTeach, highlighting how technology can enhance our links with the wider world.

International Integration Week is taking place this week (4-10 March, 2013), when integrated schools across the province will hold events to mark and celebrate Integrated Education.

Each integrated school will be celebrating integration in their own school. In addition, key events will include:

 Wednesday 6th March: Dunleath Lecture at 7.30pm (refreshments from 7pm). Professor Brandon Hamber is the guest speaker. Professor Hamber is Director of the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE), an associate site of the United Nations University based at the University of Ulster. The Lecture will be given at Queen’s University in the Canada Room. The title of the lecture is ‘Thick or Thin Integration – Deep or Shallow Peace?”

 Thursday 7th March: at 10.30 am – International Integrated Education Week Celebration in the Long Gallery at Stormont. Trevor Lunn, MLA, will be hosting this event which will include a short drama ‘Connected’ especially written for the occasion by Andrea Grimason, digital media presentations and links with international schools with entertainment from a steel band and choir.

 A delegation from NICIE will also be visiting Macedonia for an international conference on 9 & 10th March.

You can follow IIEW2013 at #IIEW2013 or click on our website https://www.nicie.org/iiew2013/

ENDS

Four photographs attached. Captions should read: Pupils from Ballycastle IPS help to launch International Integrated Education Week. Pictures by Declan Roughan photography

For further information or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson please contact Noreen Campbell, Chief Executive Officer at (028) 9097 2910 or via email to ncampbell@nicie.org.uk or mob. 07878721327 or Louise McIvor, Communications Secretary, lmcivor@nicie.org.uk tel: (028) 9097 2910.

Notes to the Editor

1. In Northern Ireland, about 93% of children attend schools which are either exclusively or predominantly Catholic or Protestant. The first integrated school, Lagan College, opened in 1981 with 28 pupils. There are currently 62 integrated schools in Northern Ireland, 20 second level colleges and 42 integrated primaries, educating over 21,000 pupils.

2. A recent Ipsos Mori poll found that almost 90% of the population support Integrated Education and more than 90% believe that Integrated Education is important for promoting a shared and better future and promoting mutual process.

3. Integrated schools are co-educational, accept children from all levels of ability and social backgrounds and practise a child-centred approach to teaching methods.

4. Established in 1987, The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) is a voluntary organisation that was set up to develop, support and promote Integrated Education in Northern Ireland. The underpinning principles of Integrated Education is that by bringing Catholic, Protestant and children of other faiths together in a shared learning environment, they can learn to understand, respect and tolerate their differences. For more information please visit www.nicie.org