Laois migrant communities create mural celebrating inclusion and diversity
Mural unveiled in Portlaoise at Laois Partnership HQ on Wear Red Day also takes a stand against racism
Diversity in Laois was celebrated recently in Portlaoise by people who have made their home in the Midlands county at the unveiling of a new artwork on Wear Red Day.
Members of migrant communities in Portlaoise and Rathdowney gathered in the courtyard of Laois Partnership Company (LPC) for the unveiling of a special mural that celebrates inclusion and diversity.
The mural was a labour of love by people from different countries such as Ukraine, Brazil, Nigeria, Italy, Finland, the Philippines, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy, who worked under the tutelage of artist, Claire Noons.
Supported through the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP). Laois Partnership says the initiative provided a welcoming and creative space for participants to connect and engage with one another. The development comapny said that while creating the tiles for the mural, participants shared memories from their home countries and spoke about their upbringing, and highlighted the unique traditions and characteristics of their cultures.
LPC staff all donned something red to show their support for inclusion and to take a stand against racism at the launch. Also present were members of the Local Authority Integration Team from Laois County Council, and the crowd was welcomed by SICAP Community Development Officer, Cassia O’Neill, who spearheaded this imaginative and innovative project.
Some of the members of local migrant communities who created a special mural celebrating inclusion and diversity.
“They walked the streets of Curitiba in Brazil, where I grew up. They walked me through university, through friendships, and through dreams about the future. And later, they walked the streets of Ireland to job interviews, to bus stops, and to new beginnings. They walked with me as I learned how to build a life in a new country,” said Cassia.
“When I came to Ireland, I came with excitement. I came with plans. I came by choice. And I have been welcomed. For that, I am deeply grateful. But not everyone’s journey begins that way. Not everyone leaves home because they want to.”
Cassia pointed out that many people are forced to flee their homeland because of war or incredible hardship, leaving behind their family, safety, language, and everything familiar.
“Sometimes all they carry with them are the clothes they’re wearing… and the shoes on their feet. So, when we say, ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes,’ it’s not just a phrase. It’s a challenge,” she said.
The group was guided on their creative journey by artist and tutor, Claire Noons. Claire explained that the desire was to bring everyone together collectively to show that community is beyond skin colour or nationality.
“It’s about people coming together and making their own meaning in life,” said Claire, outlining that the ethos behind the mural is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a psychological theory which posits that essential human needs such as food and shelter must be satisfied before people can attend to higher needs such as a drive towards self-fulfilment.
The mural will now become a permanent part of Laois Partnership Company, a symbol of how when people work together in a spirit of community, cooperation and friendship, barriers of race, creed and culture can be swept away by the power of human kindness.
For more information visit www.laoispartnership.ie