Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Press Releases

22 November 2005

A series of four half hour documentaries looking at the new cultures in Northern Ireland.

NEWS RELEASE

A SENSE OF BELONGING LOOKS AT NEW CULTURES IN NORTHERN IRELAND

A new series of four half hour documentaries looking at the new cultures in Northern Ireland starts on UTV this Wednesday 23.11.05 at 2300.

Produced by Westway Films and commissioned by the Community Relations Council, A Sense of Belonging looks at the history of inward migration to Northern Ireland over the last 100 years, and highlights the new, emerging cultural diversity of our society.

Presenter Joe Mahon takes another tour of the Northern Ireland, this time exploring some truly 'lesser spotted' parts, like a Hindu temple, a Jewish synagogue, Russian food shops, and sitting down to a Japanese meal.

Joe meets some of the people who have come here to make this their home - from the long-established immigrant communities to recently arrived migrant workers - Joe discusses the issues and problems that they face in daily life. He asks how they feel about life here, how they feel about us and ponders how ethnic minorities can be integrated into our society without losing their own cultural identity.

Joe considers the benefits of inward migration to our economy and society, and examines exactly what it means to be a multi-cultural society. The focus is on the common humanity of all people, and what we can do as a society to avoid the problems that intolerance and resentment have caused elsewhere.

Maurna Crozier of the Community Relations Council emphasises the importance of such programming – “Increasing cultural diversity is the most interesting and challenging aspect of contemporary life – worldwide. These programmes allow us to recognise and celebrate the tremendous contribution – socially, culturally and economically – ethnic minorities make to life in Northern Ireland.”

The first programme airs this Wednesday at 2300 on UTV.

'A Sense of Belonging' on UTV:

Wednesday 23^rd November, 2300

Thursday 24^th November, 2300

Wednesday 30^th November, 2300

Thursday 1^st December, 2300

-Ends-

For further information contact the UTV press office on 028 9026 2187