YellowFlag award for St Oliver’s CC
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone honoured 14 primary and secondary schools for addressing racism and fostering diversity through the Yellow Flag Programme and heard that more than 30,000 children and their families have benefited from the initiative with 2,500 teachers and school managers provided with intercultural and anti-racism training around Ireland since its inception.
Speaking at the event Minister Zappone said “It is my firm hope that the fantastic work being under-taken with the students here will spread beyond the school grounds and have a positive impact in the wider Community.
The best part of my job as I travel around the country is meeting young people and hearing their desire for our modern democratic republic to be an open society where everyone can expect fairness, equality and justice.”
At the multicultural ceremony hosted by TV Presenter and Author, Diana Bunici, schools from Dublin, Meath, Galway and Louth received flags for achieving targets in the 8 step process undertaken by students, teachers and parents for meeting equality standards where identity and racism bullying was challenged and diversity and equality embedded within their whole school practice.
Kayane Maciel student of St. Oliver’s Community College Drogheda picking up their flag said: “Yellow flag is not only about a flag! It is not about a title, it’s about inclusion. It’s about making the “outsiders” feel that they are important and they have a voice to speak up. Last Thursday morning was Brazilian week at school and when my friends saw it on the yellow flag display, they were so happy and excited, they felt included and accepted. That’s when I realized how important all this work was and still being.”