Afri’s Hedge School 2024 at TU Dublin Blanchardstown

Afri

On Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, we held our 12th annual Hedge School in partnership with TU Dublin in Blanchardstown. Our Hedge School harks back to the informal gatherings in Ireland that provided education at a time when strict laws suppressed schooling. This history serves as a reminder of how dominating powers can restrict, withhold, or distort knowledge. Today, our annual Hedge School holds space for humans’ innate need to share, learn, and take action for a just, equitable, and sustainable world.

This powerful student-led event delved into the justice issues of Palestine, housing, and gender equality, framed within the very apt theme of the Hedge School ‘Human Rights for Humanity’. The video below beautifully captures the workshops, speakers, discussion, stalls, music, art, and, of course, tree planting. Together, we explored pathways of solidarity, centred on Fannie Lou Hamer’s words: “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

Afri Hedge School 2020

Afri

Organised in partnership with third-year students from the Community and Youth Development course in TU Dublin-Blanchardstown. The theme for this year’s 2020 virtual Afri Hedge School is ‘Human Rights Challenges 2020’, Racism, Conflict, Sustainability’. Human rights abuses have been laid bare during the current pandemic. At the same time we can take heart that  people and movements have risen up to support those affected by these human rights challenges. Mindful of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and their importance in focusing action for a more equal, just and sustainable world, this virtual event will feature a blend of speakers, workshops, discussions and creative activities.

Speakers include 

Donnah Vuma, Afri Board Member and Direct Provision Resident will speak on ‘Racism, Institutional Racism, Direct Provision in Ireland’.

Afri Film featuring Oisin Coughlin, Director, Friends of the Earth Ireland speaking on ‘Sustainability, ​Biodiversity, Climate Change’ followed by discussion on and the role for Community and Youth Worker to meet this challenge of our time.

Event Details:

The event will take place on a virtual platform (Zoom).

It is a free event, however, advance booking is essential as spaces are limited.

Date: Wednesday November 18th 2020, 10am – 2pm

For more information and to register for this free evnt, please go to :https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/afri-hedge-school-2020-online-tu-dublin-blanchardstown-campus-tickets-127898091635

 

 

Hedge School 2019: Food, Fashion & Fuel

Afri

 

Organised in partnership with third year students from the Community and Youth Development course in TU Dublin –  Blanchardstown.

This year’s participants will look at the issues of food, fashion and fuel, how they contribute to climate change and what we can do about it!

Speakers include Saoirse McHugh, who describes herself as an environmentalist, a democratic socialist, and a grower.

Eddie Mitchell of Love Leitrim and North Leitrim Sustainable Energy Community

& renowned actor and activist Donal O’Kelly, who together with Brian Fleming and  Ellen Cranitch will perform an intriguing piece called  “Roxy’s Head is Melted”.

To register for this free event please go to: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/afri-hedge-school-2019-tickets-76758006263.

 

Reflections from Afri Hedge School 2018

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“It was absolutely brilliant” was one of the comments made by a student participant in the 2018 Hedge School. The event took place in IT Blanchardstown for the 6th year in succession under the title ‘It is right to fight for human rights’. We had inspirational presentations from Emmet Sheerin of Trócaire, actor and activist Donal O’Kelly and representatives of the Rohingya people.

 

Joe Murray (Afri) with Noor Hasina and Parvena Ackter representing Rohingya Action Ireland and the Rohingya community in Carlow. Photo credit: Stephanie McDermott

 

Emmet showed a short film and spoke about the extraordinary student-led ‘Divest’ campaign, which resulted in three Universities, Trinity, NUI Galway University and Queens in Belfast committing to divesting in fossil fuels; Donal O’Kelly outlined the history and context in relation to the forced migration of people and the Rohingya told the horrific story of what has happened to them at the hands of the Burmese military.

There was also great student participation, as usual, with wonderfully creative drama pieces, powerful music and poetry.

All together a highly successful Hedge School, summed up by another student who said “a fantastic event. Hope the Afri Hedge School continues for many more years to come. It is Invaluable”.

Afri Hedge School 2018

Afri

Contributions from Donal O’Kelly – ‘Welcome the Stranger’; Emmet Sheerin (Trocáire) ‘Student Activism – A Success Story’ and 3rd year Community and Youth Development students in I.T. Blanchardstown.

 Free entry to all – donations welcome to cover costs. Lunch and tea/coffee is provided.

To register go to https://www.eventbrite.ie

Reflections from the Hedge School

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Reflections by Joe Murray, Afri’s co-ordinator

Every now and then, life throws up some extraordinary surprises!

Such a moment occurred during Afri’s annual Hedge School in IT Blancharstown in November in the context of Michael Doorly’s explanation of the origins of Concern. Concern was founded in response to the Biafran War, following a series of meetings in the kitchen of John and Kay O’ Loughlin Kennedy. The new organisation’s first act was to send three ships loaded with food to the beleaguered people, caught up in the war and the poverty and hunger, which it exacerbated. When Michael had finished his presentation, Philip Uzomo stood up and identified himself as a survivor of the Biafran war and said that he’d been a recipient of the food sent on those very ships!

From left to right: Michael Doorly (Concern, Joe Murray (Afri) and Claire Devlin (Christian Aid). Photo: RoJ Whelan

Continue reading “Reflections from the Hedge School” →

Afri Hedge School 2017

Afri

Afri Hedge School 2017
The Right to Food and Shelter

Tuesday 7th November, 9.45am- 3.30pm
Room A47, I.T. Blanchardstown

The 2017 Hedge School will look at some of the causes of hunger, homelessness and displacement. Organised in partnership with third year students from the Community and Youth Development course in I.T. Blanchardstown.

Free entry to all – donations welcome to cover costs. Lunch, and tea/coffee is provided.

You can book on Eventbrite by going here

Reflections from the Hedge School

Afri

ITB students speaking at the Hedge School
ITB students speaking at the Hedge School

The 2016 Hedge School took place in Blanchardstown on November 8th, the same day as the US presidential election.  To our surprise, the latter event seemed to overshadow the former! However, we are confident that the outcome of the Hedge School will be much more positive and beneficial to people and planet than that of the election! The election was a contest between two corrupt multi millionaires supported by arms companies and oil companies while the Hedge School was organized on a shoe string and with the good will of many people.

Sorcha Pollak opened proceedings with a powerful talk on Roger Casement. Casement was a great humanitarian and internationalist, who, having carried out an investigation into atrocities on Belgium rubber plantations in the Congo, was sent by the British government to the Amazon jungle to investigate atrocities committed by the Peruvian Amazon Company, which collected rubber in the region of the river Putumayo. Casement was executed four years later for his participation in the 1916 Rising.

John Maguire further explored Casement’s work in the context of his deepening awareness of the evils of Empire and of its implications for his beloved country and characterised him as an ideal symbol for today. 

Other speakers included Kay Mulhall and, the highlight of the day, Miriam, a former asylum-seeker from Uganda.  Miriam spoke about the gruelling circumstances of her life in Uganda before being forced to leave her country and seek refuge in Ireland. In Ireland she experienced the Direct Provision system which poured salt in the wounds of her previous suffering.

The students made a tremendous contribution to the day in terms of both organisation, and input. They interwove  workshops, music and the writing of a Proclamation into the fabric of the day. Special thanks to Liam McGlynn whose support, collaboration and enthusiasm adds to the very positive experience of working in ITB.