Culture and Identity: 100 years and beyond

The NICCY Youth Panel’s Child Rights perspective to Culture and Identity

Introduction

In recognition of the UNCRC and children and young people’s right to celebrate their culture, NICCY and the NICCY Youth Panel looked at right of the child to explore and celebrate their cultural identity and to recognise the right of others to celebrate theirs.

In the centenary year since the creation of Northern Ireland, members of the NICCY Youth Panel, in partnership with the Nerve Centre and the Making the Future Project, created a series of podcasts, sharing their personal thoughts on culture and identity.

The Youth Panel also created a statement exploring culture and identity within a child rights context, which includes a series of calls to decision makers about how they can support children and young people in celebrating their culture and identity in this centenary year and beyond.

2021 Good Relations Week

The theme for this year’s Good Relations Week is ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ which celebrates the efforts of young people in their everyday lives to break down barriers, unite communities and act as a catalyst for meaningful change in our society.

Throughout Good Relations Week, on a daily basis at 11.00am, the Youth Panel will release their Culture and Identity podcasts and statement:

• Day 1: 20^th September: Ellie’s Podcast – “Northern Ireland’s future continues to be determined by its past.” Ellie asks why haven’t we moved on, or indeed, can we move on? She wonders why do we protect our own identity whilst undermining others? – you can view it here

• Day 2: 21^st September: Hanna’s Podcast – Hanna queries if we, as a society, embrace our culture and how do we connect to it? She explores if there a difference between national and cultural identity, and are cultural identities of minorities respected? – you can view it here 

• Day 3: 22nd September: Alexandra explores a ‘neutral’ cultural identity – is there advantages to having a neutral cultural history? She wonders if you can be born with the burden of disliking the ‘other’ community. She questions what role education plays in telling the history of Northern Ireland – is it easier to ignore our history as it’s too difficult to teach? – you can view it here

• Day 4: 23rd September: Rebecca discusses what role art has in the informing, influencing and expressing ideas and feelings. She examines how we in Northern Ireland use artwork – especially murals – to explore identity and belief. How much do our murals track our history? – you can view it here

• Day 5: 24th September: The centenary year since the creation of Northern Ireland, is for some, a cause for celebration as a new region of the United Kingdom was born. However, for others it is 100 years of division of Ireland. The Youth Panel’s statement explores culture and identity within a child rights context and includes a series of calls to decision makers about how they can support children and young people in celebrating their culture and identity in this centenary year and beyond. You can read the NICCY Youth Panel’s Legacy of the Conflict Statement here

More Information 

For more information please contact a member of the Participation Team at participation@niccy.org