In October a group of 19 Sixth Form Students and two staff from Drumragh Integrated College spent one week in Belgium on an educational visit . The project developed and promoted respect and understanding for Political differences outside of Northern Ireland through a study of the EU. Students were given the opportunity to learn about the mechanisms of Government in the EU as well as the challenges facing EU ministers in decision-making. The students and staff were based at the Leuven Institute; a seventeenth Century building which facilitates residential study programmes for schools and colleges throughout Ireland.
A key part of the visit involved making a link with a Dutch speaking school called the Paridiens Institute. The students were given the opportunity to share experiences of living in a divided society and engaged in structured dialogue to enhance their understanding of issues such as diversity and inclusion.
Students also had the opportunity to visit the European Parliament in Brussels where they met Martina Anderson MEP. The Historical element of the visit focussed on the World War One War memorials; the Menin Gate and the Flanders Fields Museum. This was followed by a visit to the British memorial at Tyne Cot and the German memorial at Langemark.
A particular highlight of the visit was to the construction site of a project called ‘Maggie’. This is a housing project for use across the world in war-torn societies. ‘Maggie’ will be used to house refugees along the Syrian Border and it was a humbling experience for the students to stand inside this construction and hear how the project has been developed and built.
The visit to Belgium was a hugely enriching experience for all concerned.
