Portlaoise children help Laois minister launch world awards

Laois children joined their local TD and Minister Seán Fleming TD at the Holy Family National School in Portlaoise to launch the 2023 Our World Irish Aid Awards. 

The awards encourage primary school children to submit projects looking at Ireland’s role in tackling the big issues facing people around the world. This year’s theme urges pupils to follow the lead of activists such as education campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and raise their voices in support of Equality for All.

Minister Fleming is  Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora. He invited children in Laois and at primary school pupils around Ireland to to take part. 

“Here in Ireland, we believe in everybody having the right to be treated equally regardless of factors like gender or race. Sadly that is not the case in many countries. This year’s Our World Irish Aid Awards invites young people to use their creativity to promote equality for everyone.

“Pupils taking part will learn about how inequality affects young people like them in different parts of the world. We want them to think about which inequalities they want to raise their voice about. I would encourage pupils and teachers all over Ireland to get involved. I look forward to seeing their projects later this year,” he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD backed the awards also.

“The Our World Irish Aid Awards have become a regular part of the annual school calendar with teachers and pupils alike looking forward to taking part.  The resources offered to teachers are carefully thought-out and cover a myriad of aspects of the curriculum within in the context of the Awards theme, which this year is Equality for All. Their content is engaging, encouraging and inspiring, and will help support our school communities and wider society,” she said.

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Specially created curriculum-linked teaching and learning materials have been delivered to all primary schools in Ireland, helping teachers and pupils discover more about the theme of Equality of All and each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Irish Aid’s focus countries. The materials include a pupil’s magazine, lesson plans, activity sheets and online games, available in English and as Gaeilge in print and digital format. 

Schools are invited to express their ideas and understanding of the issues in writing, song, film, artwork or another medium of their choosing.

As in the previous two years, the Our World Irish Aid Awards will include a series of Global Goal Getters online multi-media magazines featuring projects submitted by pupils around Ireland as a way of showcasing learning, creativity and actions nationwide.

Submissions are now being accepted and the final closing date for projects is Friday 31st March 2023. See www.ourworldirishaidawards.ie for more information and to download this year’s teaching and learning materials.