Successful Social Justice Week Completed...
11th November 2019
Social Justice Week
The students of Killina participated in a very successful Social Justice Week, an initaitive organised by the student-led Global Citizenship Education Committee along with their teacher Ms. Cusack.
The aim of the week was to raise awareness and empathy among the student body on a number of global issues, linking in with the Global Goals for Sustainable Development and helping students know what it means to be a global citizen. Through our Social Justice Week we were aiming to increase our students’ awareness and understanding of the rapidly changing, interdependent and unequal world in which we live. By challenging stereotypes and encouraging independent thinking, GCE helps students critically explore the root causes of global justice issues and how they interlink with our everyday lives. GCE inspires global solidarity by supporting people to fully realise their rights, responsibilities and potential as global citizens in order to take meaningful action for a just and sustainable world. It encourages individuals to think deeply and critically about what is equitable and just, and what will minimise harm to our planet.
Activities included a range of workshops from NGOs such as Concern on Monday with Lauren Wright delivering a workshop on Climate Change to the 3rd year students, as well as one on Gender Inequality for our Leaving Cert students.
A workshop for 5th years followed on the Tuesday, with Jessica Sargent from Goal facilitating a workshop on Exploring Conflict, with a particular focus on the conflict in Syria.
Then Wednesday had the beat of African drums ringing around the school, as our TY classes and students from the Resource Centre enjoyed a more hands-on approach to exploring the topic of Development education, thanks to Paul from Afro-Eire. Wednesday also saw the GCE Committee set up a marketplace of information stands, on various global issues in the concourse area for students to browse during their lunch time, along with a chance for a photo at our Global Goals photobooth!
On Thursday the 2nd years students took part in a very informative workshop on the Global Goals from Dorothy at Self-Help Africa. A Fair Trade shop was organised by the GCE committee selling fair Trade tea, coffee and chocolate. The committee are also organising a swap shop to give students the opportunity to trade in their clothes for other clothes, that way acquiring a new wardrobe while reducing our eco footprints. The week was rounded off with student led workshops for the 1st years on the Friday.
The school is a Worldwise Global School and was in receipt of the Global Passport Award last April for our work in the area of Development Education.
Very well done to our GCE Committee and Ms Cusack for their brilliant work.
