Breaking Barriers
Breaking barriers has been an online dialogue project for young people from Belfast YMCA, YMCA West Cork and the YMCA of East Jerusalem. In all, around 30 young people from a wide variety of backgrounds and political persuasions have participated together in sessions online between January and April. The purpose of this project was to learn about each others’ lives. Sessions were facilitated by youth workers from each of the participating regions on topics including family and culture, conflict in our societies, freedom of movement and trauma.
The participants from all regions brought their own experiences and questions to the process. The project was aided by our experience of good relations work here in Belfast over many decades. It is important to talk to people who are different to us and, for many taking part in this project, it is important to be heard.
I’m proud of this project and grateful for the international network of YMCAs which have made these connections and friendships possible, even under the most difficult of circumstances.
Peter McNiece - Head of Youth, Belfast YMCA
As someone from Northern Ireland, I can see some of the parallels between the divided society of Palestine and our own divided society that I and the members of the Belfast YMCA experience now. It breaks my heart to hear the lack of hope in the voices of the participants from East Jerusalem when they describe their difficult situation.
The war in the Middle East is a horrific humanitarian crisis, which I think we in Northern Ireland can feel sympathy for due to our own experience in the past. I have found the experience really interesting but also very sad. We have heard first hand how this war has destroyed young people’s lives. I feel so much sympathy for these people who can no longer travel or access the opportunities that us in the West can.
I hope an end to the war will see the restoration of these peoples’ civil rights and all inhabitants of the Middle East will get equal rights and opportunities as us in the West.
Matt Walker - Participant on Breaking Barriers
