Responding to injustice in the world caused by war and other violent conflict
The brochure can be viewed here
This year’s Féile Bríde notice comes to you with the unsurprising news that we will not be able to gather this February in the lovely surrounds of Solas Bhríde in Kildare. We will miss the fáilte and the hospitality that we’ve experienced from our Brigidine friends and Cáirde Bríde, there – and elsewhere in Kildare – every year since our first event, Brigid, Prophetess, Earthwoman, Peacemaker, back in 1993.
Monday 11th November 2019, 11am-3pm in the Irish Writer’s Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Afri’s ‘Just A Second!’ teacher training for secondary school teachers takes place 11th November 2019 from 11am to 3pm in the Irish Writer’s Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. The training is an energetic, creative and informative experience, demonstrating effective ways of bringing global issues into the classroom. The training is led by Karen Jeffares, a global education expert, together with Pete Mullineaux, a leader in the field of combining drama and global education and author of Just A Second! Exploring Global Issues Through Drama and Theatre.
Teacher training resources will be provided – including lessons plans for a number of Junior Cycle subjects including English, CSPE, History and Geography.
Teacher substitution cover is available and a light lunch is included in the training.
Booking is essential to ensure a place. Contact Afri at admin@afri.ie to express an interest and fill out a registration form.
Registration forms should be returned by 20th October. If booking after that date please contact the office directly on 01 8384204 or by email (admin@afri.ie).
Just A Second! Teacher Training for Secondary School Teachers
Monday 26th February 2018, 11am-3pm in the Irish Writer’s Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Afri’s annual teacher training for secondary school teachers takes place in February 2018. The training is an energetic, creative and informative experience, demonstrating effective ways of bringing global issues into the classroom. The training is led by global education expert Gráinne O’Neill together with Pete Mullineaux, a leader in the field of combining drama and global education, and author of Just A Second! Exploring Global Issues Through Drama and Theatre.
“I enjoyed the workshop very much. What was most valuable to me was demonstrating how necessary participative methodologies are in teaching Dev Ed (global education). This is something that I haven’t really explored before and it will be very useful to me in the future.” – Participant in the 2017 Afri Teacher training workshop.
This year’s training takes place in the Writer’s Museum, Parnell Square in the heart of the city on February 26th 2018. Teacher substitution cover is available – be sure to book early to ensure a place on this important training event. Contact Afri at admin@afri.ie or 01 8827563.
At the end of April, Afri’s Co-ordinator Joe Murray and Choctaw Gary White Deer travelled to Moville for a ‘Just a Second’ event, as part of our WorldWise Global Schools Project. The ‘Just a Second’ educational programme focuses on the absurdity of in excess of €40,000 being spent every second on war and weapons while a billion people suffer from hunger, lack of clean water and adequate housing. We began by walking from Moville Community College to the Quays. This was the departure point for many people from Donegal and surrounding areas who emigrated down through the years, often because of poverty or famine. We were joined there by Rose Kelly and students from Scoil Eoghain. We had music, poetry and readings focussed on those who are being forced from their their homelands today as a result of poverty, war and climate change. Following this moving event, participants walked back to Moville Community College where we planted a mountain ash together with students and teachers and then had a short seminar touching on issues to do with climate change, militarisation, famine and forced migration. Continue reading “Just A Second in Moville”
Dublin launch of an Afri development education resource by
Pete Mullineaux
featuring 5 short plays on global justice themes with suggestions for follow up activities suitable for school groups, youth theatres, college students and others
And release of ‘Turned Away’ – a specially composed instrumental piece by the multi-talented
Imogen Gunner
“A beautifully evocative melody” – Tom Sparkes
Live music with Imogen Gunner & Friends and reflections by Pete Mullineaux
Imogen’s CD and Pete’s book will be available to buy on the night.
Please book in advance: Tel: 01 8827581 or email: admin@afri.ie
Funded by Irish Aid’s World Wise Global Schools
(after Hardy)
They gathered up the guns and tanks,
divided the soldiers into ranks,
turned to face the enemy –
make a new date for history.
Prepare to fight – the order came
as the foe came into sight –
horizon-filled: a mighty wave
sent them all into their grave.
All the bullets, guns and bombs,
nuclear missiles impotent.
What use these weapons made by Man
with humanity an also-ran.
What use now the hunger and greed,
the makers of superfluous need.
What use those forgotten goals
for climate change and ozone holes?
What use the trillions spent on arms –
while dust and drought sucked up the farms,
as consequences grew in turn
enough to wither, drown and burn.
All the bullets ever made, every gun
every grenade, every cluster or barrel bomb,
laser rays, loud battleships, whispering drone –
secret weapons until then unknown,
gathered up in proud array –
for once all pointing the same way –
(although no silver saucer spun
beneath the unforgiving sun)
singing from the same hymn sheet, as they say.
recording the Earth’s sad lament –
a planet came a planet went.
~Pete Mullineaux, October 2014
Pete Mullineaux’s latest book Just a Second! Exploring Global Issues through Drama & Theatre has just been published and is available to buy from the Afri office.
Just A Second! Exploring Global Issues Through Drama and Theatre is a development education resources offering school groups an accessible guide to exploring global issues through drama and theatre. The book opens with coverage of Afri’s 2013-2014 ‘Just A Second!’ project which focused on the theme of militarisation. This is followed by the full texts of five mini-plays that were devised with young people taking part in Afri initiated development education projects in primary and secondary schools during the years 2005-2011.
These plays can be read or acted out, but more importantly are designed to act as a stimulus for further drama exploration, discussion and debate. With this in mind they are accompanied by multiple suggestions for follow-up activities, linking across the curriculum so that schools groups, youth theatres, college students and others can explore the themes and issues raised for themselves.
Pete Mullineaux is an Arts facilitator currently working on Afri’s ‘Just A Second!’ schools programme in secondary schools in Galway.
If you are interested in this publication please contact the Afri office: ph: 01 8827563 or admin@afri.ie
This publication received funding from Irish Aid’s WorldWise Global Schools and Concern WorldWide.
While many are aware of Afri’s work through our annual Famine Walk, Féile Bríde and Hedge School as well as our solidarity work with the Kenya Pastoralists Journalist Network and the community under siege in Erris County Mayo among many other activities, perhaps less are aware of Afri’s ongoing ‘education for liberation’ work with secondary schools. This work is supported by the WorldWise Global Schools and is carried out mainly by our development education manager Rose Kelly and dramatist Pete Mullineaux.
The theme of our education programme is ‘Just a Second’ and it focuses on the absurdity of the choices that we make or that are made on our behalf by governments and corporations. For example, the fact that in excess of €40,000 is spent every second on war and weapons while a billion people suffer from hunger, lack of clean water and adequate housing.
The film below, made by Dave Donnellan, is a snapshot of the development education work that went on in the ‘Just A Second’ project.
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Afri gratefully acknowledges the support of WorldWise Global Schools and Concern