School talks represent the major part of the work of the East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign. The campaign averages six to seven school talks each week and has now set up a separate section to deal with these events. A number of school groups are associated with the campaign and up to 60 schools boast peace and justice groups.
St Angela's Ursuline Convent, Waterford's group, is a model of its kind, Hyland notes.
Two Timorese students, who are studying in Ireland, help with school talks. Both have siblings who have been murdered. "They are the bravest people Irish students will have met. Can you imagine suffering a horrific bereavement and standing up and telling hundreds of people about it?," the campaign's co-ordinator asks. All schools need peace and justice groups, Hyland believes. "Ethics and civics now form part of the curriculum and allow students to come at things from an academic point of view. Justice and peace lets them come at things from a moral point of view," he argues.
Such groups help students turn their eyes to the world and allow them to look at Ireland's problems - racism, for example.
Every year the campaign organises the Domingos Segurado Human Rights Education Award. This competition is open to students in two categories - those under 15 years of age and those 16 and over. Closing date for entries for the 1999 award is March 31st next.
The judges include Senator David Norris, writer Joe O'Connor and singer and songwriter Eleanor McEvoy.
The award is named after Domingos Segurdo, a 28-year-old teacher, who was one of more than 250 peaceful protesters shot dead in a peaceful protest in Dili in November, 1991. "When we talk about people who have been killed by name, we honour their memory," Hyland explains.
Contact: Phone (01) 671 9270, email etis@ireland.supports.tp
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