Intercultural Ireland
The entire pattern of human behaviour is known as culture. It actually reflects the way we live. Since we coexist with other people, our environment is always changing as a result of both our influence and theirs. This is how my environment has changed since I had the wonderful possibility of being part of an Erasmus+ programme in Cork, Ireland, between February 19th to February 26th, 2023. What stroke me most during my stay in Cork was the fact that Irish people respect diversity – this wide range of different things, people, beliefs, languages and traditions in the Irish society.
The cultural effects of immigration on Irish people living in Ireland and on more recent immigrants from the rest of the globe to Ireland can be easily noticed. It is remarkable that the suggestions for enhancing intercultural society would considerably improve the way in which society functions in Ireland. You can see different people on the streets of Cork, the Corkonians as they call themselves, the immigrants (African American, Native American, Ukranians, Romanians, Spanish, Chinese) who are smoothly struggling to integrate in this postmodern society in which they have arrived with big dreams, and the homeless whom we can see almost everywhere around. Therefore, for me, Ireland is made of these three separate worlds mixed into one!
Nowadays Ireland has a diverse population of cultures. Irish people both facilitate and promote interculturalism in different ways. I myself found it very innovative that, at school, students are encouraged not to make judgements, to develop their own views, assumptions and beliefs, and to take interest in everything which makes them happy. What is difficult to believe, is the fact that Irish people encourage basic principles, such as well-being and self-esteem, they support their students to smile and never estimate the value of a good smile.
The school system in Ireland reflects the recent considerable population changes in that country. As far as education is concerned, in Ireland the goal of all educators is to support the development of inclusion and integration of students within a multicultural environment as the norm. We could notice this encouragement in the host high-school, Coláiste Éamann Rís. In this school of great traditions, the Principal, Mr. Wolfe, stated the importance of integrating students with various disabilities and they have twenty staff members for these students with special needs. They also encourage the interaction with young people from minority ethnic origins. Moreover, the educational system examines self-awareness, using a needs-based approach, and connecting with young people through empathetic relationships while focusing on the youth worker and their practice. All in all, the technique to developing interculturalism relies on connectivity and schools are one of its key points of contact with such audiences.
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