To promote the awareness and appreciation of the different cultures with the local community, the students of St Paul’s High School put together a whole host of events to take place during the school’s annual Diversity Week.

Some of the key events of the week included a fashion show in which many of the students with a diverse cultural or ethnic background took part.   This event featured music, dance and costumes from around the world.

Quotes from teachers and pupils:

“Diversity week was a huge success within St Paul’s and I would definitely recommend other schools to incorporate such an event into their school calendar. It is an excellent and an enjoyable way of actively teaching about diversity and inclusion.”

“Diversity week was great; I now have a greater awareness of the different traditions and cultures within our school and the local community.”

“Brilliant! It has inspired me to travel when I leave school. I want to experience the traditions and cultures for myself. “

The recent launch of an innovative cross-community inter-school initiative was celebrated in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry.

Partnership for Educational and Community Enrichment (PEACE) in South Armagh is a collaborative programme which is funded by the Shared Education Programme (SEP).

SEP  is a three year programme which promotes reconciliation by facilitating collaboration and sharing between schools across Northern Ireland. The programme is funded by the International Fund for Ireland and Atlantic Philanthropies and is being managed by Queen’s University Belfast.

The partners involved in the PEACE Initiative include St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook  who will lead and manage the programme as host school, Newtownhamilton High School, Rathore School for Children with Special Educational Needs, Bessbrook Primary School, St Joseph’s Primary School, Meigh and St Joseph’s Primary School, Bessbrook.

The core aim of PEACE is to promote a learning environment to ensure that all students irrespective of academic or physical ability are respected and valued within a framework designed to promote the ethos of collaboration across all communities within South Armagh. It is our intention to create a culture of inclusivity whereby students and teachers from a range of religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds come together to enhance their educational experiences and develop a new mindset that embraces diversity.

Watch our specially commissioned PEACE Launch Video.

Students from all of the partner schools will be involved in a range of weekly activities across all areas of learning including, Performing Arts, Sport, Learning for Life and Work, Science and Modern Languages.

Mr Oliver Mooney, Principal of St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook conveyed his appreciation for the support of each of the partner principals and their respective Board of Governors. He commended their commitment to our targets of inclusion for all and ensuring that all pupils learn to respect and value each other’s traditions.

Pictured above is Mr Oliver Mooney (Principal of St Paul’s High School), Mr Garnet Mullan (Principal of Newtownhamilton High School), Mr Raymond Cassidy, (Principal of Rathore School for Children with Special Educational Needs), Mr Albert Maguire (Principal of Bessbrook Primary School), Mrs Sheila McArdle (Principal of St Joseph’s P.S, Bessbrook),  Mr Brian McKinley (Principal of St Josephs P.S, Meigh),  Mrs Una McNulty (Vice Principal of St Paul’s High School) and Mrs Noella Murray (SEP Co-ordinator)

To promote the awareness and appreciation of the different cultures with the local community, the students of St Paul’s High School have put together a whole host of events to take place during the school’s Annual Diversity Week.

Some of the key events of the week included a fashion show in which many of the students with a diverse cultural or ethnic background took part.   This event featured music, dance and costumes from around the world.

Principal of St Paul’s High School, Mr Oliver Mooney, congratulated the students on their hard work and said he felt proud of their efforts in raising awareness of the wonderful diversity among students of the school.

Mr Mooney paid tribute to all the staff who helped make Diversity Week such a success, particularly Learning for Life & Work teachers, Mrs Clare Maguire, Miss Joanne Leonard and Miss Áine Devlin.