A cross-community project where 12 Belfast teens took part in a life-changing visit to Krakow to learn about the Holocaust has been supported with funding from Clanmil. 

The 18-year-olds from the south Belfast Rosario Youth Club joined their peers in Streetbeat Youth Club in north Belfast to travel to Krakow this summer and gained an OCN Level 1 qualification in Holocaust Awareness.  

The project was supported through the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy, which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.   

The Port Building in Annadale, south Belfast and Felden in Newtownabbey, both shared housing developments, are also supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.  Just over £10m was invested in the development of the schemes and associated five-year Good Relations Plans.    

 The project was delivered by the International School for Peace Studies, a non-profit organisation based in Derry/Londonderry which delivers reconciliation training programmes.  

The young people took part in workshops during February and March, with a further pre-departure workshop in May, before travelling to Poland in August.  

During the workshops, they learned about the years preceding the Holocaust including the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, the persecution of Jewish people and antisemitism across Europe. 

The group also drew from the past to discuss contemporary attitudes around prejudice, discrimination, justice and equal rights in Northern Ireland and worldwide. 

Lauren Hamidi-Craig, Community Investment Officer with Clanmil said: 

“Promoting understanding and raising awareness about different cultures and backgrounds are important aspects of the good relations work linked to our shared housing developments in Belfast and beyond. As well as learning about an important period of European history and learning lessons that relate to local issues, the young people who took part in the project have gained a useful OCN qualification.”  

The group travelled to Krakow on August 26th for four days, to build on what they had learned in the preceding workshops.  They visited a number of sites related to the Holocaust including Auschwitz and Birkenau, which was one of the largest Nazi concentration camps. The young people had a chance to meet Holocaust survivor Sophia Zofia Radzikowska, who shared her experience of having to hide her religious identity and losing her father, who was executed in a concentration camp.  

The young people also visited synagogues, cemeteries and memorials in the city’s Jewish quarter, as well as a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Schindler’s factory museum.  
 
Nigel Hagon, a facilitator with the International School for Peace Studies said the workshops allowed for open and thoughtful discussions:  “The workshops were structured to allow everyone an opportunity to discuss their opinions and views openly.  Although the views differed and contentious issues were raised, the discussion was free-flowing and respectful.” 

He added: “This course has been an excellent stepping stone for all participants and such learning will have a positive impact on their own lives, as well as within their local communities. We are very grateful to Clanmil for supporting this project and we look forward to many more in the future.” 

Nicole Moreland who attends Rosario Youth Club said:  "Participating in the Holocaust awareness programme was both enjoyable and educational. The programme offered me a deeper insight into this troubling period of history. We visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, Schindler's factory and the Jewish Quarter tour, which truly made our trip to Krakow extremely memorable. Reflections on the atrocities committed during the Holocaust allowed me to appreciate the importance of education and remembrance. Overall, the experience, learning and personal growth made for a brilliant trip.” 

 One of the young people from StreetBeat, Sophie Bailie commented: 

"Despite the tragic and overwhelming history of Krtakow, it has been an unforgettable opportunity that I hope every individual gets to experience once. From visiting camps, to understanding their way of living and understanding that this was reality for some. It has made me feel extremely grateful and fortunate for the life I am living now." 

The project was supported through the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy, which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. The Port Building shared housing development in Annadale, south Belfast is also supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.