7 August 1997 Edition
Forum tackles anti-Traveller racism
By Eoin O Broin
In keeping with this year's Féile an Phobail theme of anti-racism, the West Belfast Economic Forum was once again at the forefront with its 5th Frank Cahill Memorial Lecture. Entitled Confronting Racism in Ireland, the discussion was a fitting tribute to a man whose life epitomised the struggle for community equality.
A crowd of over 200 people in the Conway Mill listened to community worker Catherine Joyce, from the Blanchardstown Area Partnership and Brid O'Brien of Pavee Point's Travellers' Economy Programme, both from Dublin. The evening opened with a video presentation detailing the life and experiences of Irish Travellers.
Not only were problems of accommodation, racism, education and health discussed, but a strong emphasis was placed on action taken by the Travelling community and their allies in resolving all the above problems.
The two workers called for the ``development of social and economic policies and initiatives which support Traveller-specific measures''.
As always, the Frank Cahill Memorial Lecture was a challenging and innovative event, bringing the debate about economic regeneration to the community in an open and accessible forum. Let's hope that as with previous years the Economic Forum publish the lecture, thus getting the message out to as many people as possible.
In keeping with this year's Féile an Phobail theme of anti-racism, the West Belfast Economic Forum was once again at the forefront with its 5th Frank Cahill Memorial Lecture. Entitled Confronting Racism in Ireland, the discussion was a fitting tribute to a man whose life epitomised the struggle for community equality.
A crowd of over 200 people in the Conway Mill listened to community worker Catherine Joyce, from the Blanchardstown Area Partnership and Brid O'Brien of Pavee Point's Travellers' Economy Programme, both from Dublin. The evening opened with a video presentation detailing the life and experiences of Irish Travellers.
Not only were problems of accommodation, racism, education and health discussed, but a strong emphasis was placed on action taken by the Travelling community and their allies in resolving all the above problems.
The two workers called for the ``development of social and economic policies and initiatives which support Traveller-specific measures''.
As always, the Frank Cahill Memorial Lecture was a challenging and innovative event, bringing the debate about economic regeneration to the community in an open and accessible forum. Let's hope that as with previous years the Economic Forum publish the lecture, thus getting the message out to as many people as possible.