Community Relations Council

• Jobs
• Press Releases
• News
• Links
• Speeches
• Contact
• Council Minutes

29 August 2001

The Community Relations Council (CRC) has produced a new educational resource promoting understanding and respect for cultural diversity which it is launching on Thursday 30^th August (11 am) at the Post House Hotel in Ormeau Avenue, Belfast (opposite BBC).

Called the Popular Belief exhibition, the resource consists of a display stand with up to thirty colourful images and accompanying text illustrating the range and variety of popular belief in Northern Ireland. Among other things it looks at practices such as pilgrimage, blessings, initiations which are common to all major faiths and to those with no religious beliefs.

"The exhibition is about the way we demonstrate our beliefs," explains Dr Tony Langlois, Cultural Diversity Project Officer at CRC. "Some of these are religious. Some are not. But all are popular expressions demonstrating the diversity of our community. Northern Ireland is not a place of two traditions. There is a wealth and multiplicity of experience and customs here that we are all able to draw on in our daily lives."

The exhibition will be launched by Dr Jonathan Bardon, Chair of the Community Relations Council, and by journalist Malachi O'Doherty, who has been a member of the CRC's advisory group for the project.

It is intended that the display will be loaned to libraries, community groups and other organisations to stimulate debate about culture and identity in Northern Ireland. The production of an explanatory booklet to accompany the display is also being planned.

For further information contact:

Tony Langlois, Joanne Murphy or Brian Mullan at the Community Relations Council

Tel 028 90 227500

or Ray Mullan, Director of Communications, at the same number.