UNA-NI was delighted when the Principal of Oakgrove Integrated College agreed to host an event as part of the 2023 One World Festival Northern Ireland.
UNA-NI is a member of CADA, the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies Northern Ireland and each year since 2019, CADA has organised a week-long festival to highlight particular themes. This year’s theme focussed on how climate change impacts on people around the world. It also promoted understanding of issues that affect the lives of the poorest people and inspired action in local communities towards a just, peaceful and sustainable world.
UNA-NI invited Emer Rafferty to be the guest speaker at the Derry event. Hosted by the Principal, staff and students of Oakgrove Integrated College, the Principal and students from Lisneal College and a representative of St Cecilia’s College were also welcomed to the event.
Emer is a second-year chemical engineering student at Queen’s University Belfast. She is also the youngest director of EcoJustice Ireland and was selected by the Education Authority to attend the One Young World Festival which was held in Belfast in early October. Her presentation was based on her experiences at that festival, including the workshops and discussions by a wide range of speakers. She also encouraged the students to act locally, no matter how modestly they may feel their contribution to reducing climate action may seem. Reference was made to the importance of using music, poetry and art in order to raise awareness of the climate and ecological crisis.
Speaking on behalf of UNA-NI, a spokesperson said, “We are very pleased that Derry has featured in this year’s One World Festival, especially as it follows close on the accolade of the city being awarded UN International City of Peace. While we thank all those who attended the event from three local schools and representatives from CADA, we wish to thank Mr John Harkin, the Principal of Oakgrove Integrated College, for his considerable support in hosting this event.”
Please have a look at some of the images taken at the event by photographer Jim McCafferty.
Mr John Harkin, Principal of Oakgrove Integrated College, welcomed everyone to the UNA-NI event which was part of the One World Festival event. Mr Harkin is a a long-time UNA-NI member and we in UNA-NI thank him for his support.
One World Festival Guest speaker, Emer Rafferty, talked about experiences as a delegate to the One Young World Festival held in Belfast earlier in October.
We have been sent a link of more photographs from the Derry Journal, to be found by going to:
https://www.derryjournal.com/education/11-photographs-of-oakgrove-college-climate-change-event-during-2023-one-world-festival-4383293