Scritto da: jay.ren 24/03/2006 10.50
I problemi tra le due "fazioni" sono grandi, occorrerà ancora molto tempo per un'integrazione (se mai ci sarà).
Mi hanno raccontato che in uno di questi progetti di interfaccia, i bambini provenienti da famiglie repubblicane giocano esclusivamente tra di loro, come del resto fanno i loro coetanei "lealisti", e le famiglie si ignorano completamente.
R
Un piccolo racconto di come attraverso spunti molto semplici possano nascere dei rapporti fra le due comunità. Proprio il fatto che non ci voglia poi chissà cosa da un lato mi spaventa ma dall'altro lascia ben sperare
da:
www.gppac.net/documents/pbp/11/4_corrym.htm
Paddy and William
Huge barriers separate the Catholic and Protestant areas of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Walls, rising as high as 18 feet, symbolic of both security and fear.
Corrymeela Community has used a novel method to encourage dialogue between families on both sides of the so-called Peace Wall. A ‘feelings box’ was opened. Anyone can place into the box a single word written on a piece of paper expressing what it was like to live in the shadow of the Peace Wall. Then the pieces of paper are taken out and read without giving away the identity of the writer. Those listening to the messages being read could add whatever they wished.
What emerged was that there were few differences between the ideas and feelings expressed by either side. Loss of loved ones evoked similar feelings from Catholics or Protestants contributors to the box. People on both sides shared common feelings about loss of loved ones, lost childhood, and other tragedies.
The ‘feelings box’ also burst with varied opinions on the word ‘hatred’.
‘I don’t mean to say that I hate anyone,’ one woman said. ‘What I meant was that I don’t wish to carry on knowing that I am hated, and that my children are hated.’
What did they understood by the word ‘community’?
Both sides wanted peace, better amenities for their children, jobs. They wanted a community centre where both communities could continue to meet and support each other. Children have also been embraced in this attempt to get feelings out into the open, and encouraging a sharing of ideas. Two boys who usually throw bricks over the Peace Wall met at Corrymeela. Paddy is Catholic, William a Protestant.
Paddy was asked: ‘What if you hit William?’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t.’
‘How is that.’
‘I’m a good shot. I wouldn’t aim at William.’
‘But sometimes you can’t see who you will hit, the wall is too high.’
Paddy thought long and hard.
‘Yeah, you’re right. I’m going to have to climb up to the top of the derelict house where I can get a really good aim.’
‘But Paddy, last weekend you could have injured William with a stone, because then you didn’t know him. How would you feel about that now.’
‘Bad!’ said Paddy, and he and his friends decided to stop throwing stones over the Peace Wall.