Anti-Racism Month 2021
Every year March is an important month for Irish and global Anti-Racism Movements due to various national and international celebrations and commemoration days taking place, which focus on combating racism and celebrating diversity.
21st March marks the most important day in every anti-racist’s calendar. On that day in 1960, the Apartheid regime’s police opened fire and killed 69 Black people at a peaceful demonstration for equality and against apartheid laws in Sharpeville, South Africa. This date has since been declared the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination when the people across the globe show their opposition to racism and solidarity with those affected by it and in remembrance of the harmful impact of racism on individuals and communities. “Youth standing up against racism” is the 2021 theme for the Day.
Other important dates throughout march
Apart from Anti-Racism Day, other important events and celebrations are taking place throughout March. Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day opens the month on 1 March. It marks the anniversary of the formal recognition of the Travellers ethnicity in 2017 while celebrating their culture and heritage. Zero Discrimination Day is an annual day also celebrated on 1 March each year by the United Nations and other international organisations. The day aims to promote equality before the law and in practice throughout all of the member countries of the UN. International Women’s Day, marked annually on 8 March, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
The annual European Action Week Against Racism is taking place from the 16th to the 21st of March this year. Additionally, the week following 21 March marks the UN Week of Solidarity with the People Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination.
Join Anti-Racism Month 2021
Check out what is happening throughout March in the below Anti-Racism Events Calendar, join an event or organise one yourself.
ANTI-Racism Calendar
During the upcoming days and weeks thousands of people, not just in Ireland, but all across the EU and the globe will come together to promote and celebrate inclusion, equal rights and diversity. INAR and our Network Members will coordinate and mark not only these important dates but the entire month full of anti-racism and intercultural events and activities, between the 1st and 31st of March 2020.
Use hashtags: #ARM2021 and #TogetherAgainstRacism
Promote your event
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EVENT!
If you plan to organise an event focused on antiracism and/or celebration of diversity, or one targeting people from ethnic or/and religious minorities, tell us about it!
Add your event to our national Anti-Racism Calendar and we will help promote it.
ANTI-RACISM EVENTS CALENDAR: Anti-Racism Month 2021
CORONAVIRUS & ANTI-RACISM MONTH
Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in Ireland, most of the public events, including those organised by INAR, will be organised online.
INAR’S EVENTS
Please note that INAR’s own events are marked blue within the calendar.
Responding to Racism Blog
TIME & DATE: Throughout March
ORGANISER: INAR
LINK: You will be able to see all the articles here and on INAR’s social media
Throughout this years’ Anti-Racism Month we will be publishing new resource articles in our Responding to Racism Blog based on the Responding to Racism Guide: How to Report Racism and Where to Find Help. The articles collected in this blog aim to provide practical information and guidance on how to report and respond to racist incidents in Ireland. Articles range from information on why to report racism and how to do so, to information on where to report racism depending on what actually happened, to bystander intervention techniques, responding to racism in a community and supports available to those affected by racism
The longer-term goal is to develop these articles as a part of the national one-stop-shop online resource on reporting and responding to racism, easily available to anyone affected by racism in Ireland. We hope that the provided information encourages readers to report racism and inspires them to re-think their role in addressing it.
Yellow Flag Asks
TIME & DATE: Throughout March on YF’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
ORGANISER: Yellow Flag Programme
CONTACT: molly@itmtrav.ie
LINK: Yellow Flag Asks will be posted here throughout March.
ABOUT: In our Yellow Flag Asks series, we will be asking diverse voices from across the education and anti-racism space one question: how can schools take a visible and proactive stand against racism? We will be sharing their audio answers across our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages throughout the month of March.
TRUST Photo, Video & Caption Competition
TIME: 1 – 19 March
ORGANISER: TRUST Ireland & the UNESCO Chair at MTU in Ireland
LINK: Click here for details
ABOUT: As part of Munster Technological University’s Innovation and Enterprise Month, TRUST Ireland are launching a photo and caption competition. Entrants are invited to submit a photo or a video on what “human rights in and through sport” means to them, along with a short (240 character) caption explaining their choice. Entries can be original or curated photos or videos.
The competition is open to people of all ages both across Ireland and internationally. In particular, input from rightsholder groups including people with disabilities; women and girls; Travellers and ethnic minorities; the LGBTQI+ community; asylum seekers, refugees and migrants; and disadvantaged or marginalised communities are sought.
European Action Week Against Racism Competition 2021
TIME: 1 – 19 March (enter the competition by Friday 19th March)
ORGANISER: Social Inclusion Unit, Community Services Department, South Dublin County Council
CONTACT: socialinclusionunit@sdublincoco.ie
LINK: Click here for details
ABOUT:
To mark European Action Week Against Racism 2021 the Social Inclusion Unit, Community Services Department, South Dublin County Council are hosting a competition which aims to create awareness of racism and celebrate cultural diversity of people living in South Dublin today.
To enter our competition paint a picture, create a slogan or write a poem conveying the message “Racism has no place in South Dublin”
Please return entry by email to: socialinclusionunit@sdublincoco.ie by Friday 19th March 2021.
Click here for further details and application form.
1st March:
Traveller Ethnicity Day
Zero discrimination day
NUI Galway Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day 2021
TIME: 12 online sessions throughout the day (10AM-8PM)
ORGANISER: NUI Galway
LINK: Click here to see all events
ABOUT: March 1 2021 marks five years since the Government officially recognised Irish Travellers as an ethnic group. NUI Galway is to host a series of online events on Monday 1 March 2021 as part of Traveller Ethnicity Day. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris T.D., Senator Eileen Flynn, children’s author Richard O’Neill and US-based academic Professor Sharon Gmelch are among those taking part.
To mark the anniversary, the flag of the Mincéirs Whiden Society, the only university society for Irish Travellers, will fly above the Quad at NUI Galway and a series of films will be shown including a specially produced short documentary Travellers in Higher Education: Building a Sense of Belonging.
Other events planned for the day include panel discussions on pathways to education and a career in teaching and what the State’s recognition of Traveller ethnicity has meant for the community.
5th March
Governing Hate Webinar (INAR Members Event only)
TIME: 12 noon – 1 pm
ORGANISER: INAR
CONTACT: aga@inar.ie
ABOUT: Governing Hate: What is hate speech? How do social media platforms understand hate speech? Reporting hate speech, some insights.
This presentation Paloma Viejo-Otero, a postdoctoral researcher at the Anti-Bullying Centre, DCU, is concerned with hate speech regulation. It aims to create clarity regarding various confusions around hate speech regulation, what regulates, and what is happening on social media. The presentation shows that hate speech regulation has a life, history, and meaning beyond the simple zero-sum representing the debate between rules of hate speech versus freedom of expression and illustrates the different ideological approaches to hate speech regulation. This presentation provides a framework for the audience to quickly identify what direction each social media platform has adopted to regulate racist content. Finally, during the event, the speaker will explain strategies used by social media platforms to delete content, focusing on the rationale that underpins their decisions. The presentation aims to offer a clear framework to understand why there is racist content on online platforms and how social media is influencing what we do comprehend by hate speech.
Understanding the Dimensions of Racism in Ireland
TIME: 12 noon – 2 pm
ORGANISER: Irish Association of Social Workers
CONTACT: colletta.dalikeni@dkit.ie
LINK: Find out more and register here
ABOUT:
United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Social Workers Rise Against Racism
This event is a follow up from the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) launch of the Anti-Racism Strategic Plan last week. Ahead of the 9th of March which is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, The Anti-Racism Advisory Group within the IASW is hosting their first Anti-Racism CPD event on Friday the 5th of March 2021. The webinar will set the scene for understanding Racism within the Irish context by discussing the reality of Racism in Ireland and social workers involved in dismantling racism in our society.
8th March
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day celebration events 2021
TIME: Various dates and times
ORGANISER: The National Women’s Council and its Members
LINK: Click here to see all events
ABOUT: NWC events calendar for the International Women’s Day celebrations happening across Ireland.
International Women’s Day
TIME: From 12 noon
ORGANISER: Amal Women’s Association
CONTACT: amal.hope@outlook.ie
LINK: Click to register and participate
This year’s theme focuses on domestic abuse and the hidden abuse and trauma experienced by women, exacerbated and intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. We want this year’s event to represent and reflect the harsh realities for marginalised women in Ireland.
Raising Mincéir Beoir’s Voices On IWD 2021
TIME: 3-4PM
ORGANISER: Sligo Traveller Support Group
CONTACT: www.facebook.com/SligoTravellerSupportGroup2017
LINK: Find out more
Amy Ward
Brigid Quilligan
Bernadette Maughan
Bridget Casey
10th March
Love Not Hate Campaign for Hate Crime Legislation re-launch
ORGANISER: INAR
CONTACT: aga@inar.ie
LINK: About the Love Not Hate campaign
INAR is re-launching its #LoveNotHate campaign calling for the immediate introduction of hate crime legislation in Ireland. We are calling for legislation that offers the best possible protection to people affected by hate crime. The campaign will be re-launched by Senator Eileen Flynn.
EMwoSE – Empowering Women from Ethnic Minorities through Social Enterprise
TIME: 9.30-11.30AM
ORGANISER: Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT)
CONTACT: marie.taylor@lit.ie; Twitter: @RDI_at_LIT; Research Development and Innovation – LIT
LINK: Register and find out more here
We invite you to Limerick Institute of Technology’s information session which will present key findings of the The EMwoSE (Empowering women from Ethnic Minorities in Social Enterprise) project. The EMwoSE project aims to increase the employment of women from ethnic minorities by providing them with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for engaging in the social enterprise world. This event will look at the main findings of the project and debut a series of videos of women involved in social enterprises as well as present the resources available on our online platform that can be used by both women and agencies supporting women in enterprise. It will also play host to an online roundtable discussion with some of our aspiring women on their personal experiences of being from an ethnic minority in Ireland and trying to establish or run a social enterprise.
18th March
Overcoming Sexism and Racism in Higher Education
TIME & LOCATION: 3-5pm
ORGANISER: Cordula Bieri & Dr Ayeshah Émon (School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin)
CONTACT: bieric@tcd.ie
LINK: Register and find out more
We are excited to invite you to join us for an interactive webinar on Overcoming Sexism and Racism in Higher Education taking place on Thursday 18th of March, 3-5 pm (GMT, Dublin), kindly supported by the Trinity Equality Fund and the School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin.
The webinar will facilitate a discussion on sexism, racism and class, and how their intersections specifically affect the career progression of women from ethnic minority backgrounds in higher education.
We are delighted to present Dr Ebun Joseph (Institute of Antiracism and Black Studies, Ireland) and Dr Keisha Lindsay (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) as keynote speakers on the topic of Black and ethnic minority women in higher education in Ireland and the US.
The two presentations will be followed by three breakout sessions hosted by Ms Diane Ihirwe (Rooted In Africa and Ireland Network), Dr Ayeshah Émon (Trinity College Dublin) and Ms Donnah Sibanda Vuma (Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland) to offer an interactive space to discuss strategies and action points needed to create a more inclusive academic environment.
18th-21st March
TIME & LOCATION: Nationwide, online, between 18th – 21st March CLICK FOR DETAILS
CONTACT: aga@inar.ie
ORGANISER: INAR
Following the success of #TogetherAgainstRacism Social Media Action in the previous years, INAR invites its Network Members, Friends, Supporters and Members of the Public to join the 2021 edition, to mark the International Day Against Racism.
Simply take a photo with a hashtag #TogetherAgainstRacism and post it on social media (Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram/ LinkedIn) to show your opposition to racism, xenophobia, far-right ideologies and to stand in solidarity with those affected. Let’s get #TogetherAgainstRacism hashtag trending in Ireland, make it bigger than the last year and flood social media with this positive message of inclusion, equality and togetherness. Let’s show that racism has no place in Ireland!
21st March:
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Let’s share the weight of racism
TIME: 3-4pm
CONTACT: info@akidwa.ie
ORGANISER: AkiDwa
To share experience and articulate strategies to combat racism.
Stand in my Shoes
TIME: 3 pm
CONTACT: galwaymeltingpotluck@gmail.com
ORGANISER: The Melting Pot Luck & Visionation in collaboration with Lakshika films, supported by Galway 2020
As part of a series of events to mark International Day Against Racism 2021 The Melting Pot Luck and Visionation present ‘Stand In My Shoes’. ‘Stand In My Shoes’ is a project that presents 3 short films seeking to shine a light on 3 common themes and experiences for ethnic minorities living in Ireland:
1. The difficulties in getting accommodation when you are not Irish
2. Constantly being asked to change or shorten your name. Or worse, being told your name is “too difficult”
3. And finally, the consistent and never-changing question – Where are you ACTUALLY from?
The three short videos will be shared on The Melting Pot Luck and Galway 2020 Facebook and Instagram at 3pm on Sunday the 21st of March.
Launch of Mural for International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
TIME: 4pm
CONTACT: https://www.facebook.com/brayforlove
ORGANISER: Bray For Love
Join Bray for Love on Facebook live at 4pm on Sunday March 21st to mark International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. We will formally launch the Bray for love Mural at The Harbour Bar Bray painted by Holly Pereira and have some discussions on racism/challenging racism. Artwork in the Mural credited to Holly Pereira.
Community Solidarity Against Racism
TIME: 7pm
CONTACT: Jamie@stsg.ie
ORGANISER: Sligo Traveller Support Group
ABOUT: To mark the International Day For The Elimination of Racial Discrimination we have put together a wonderful panel of speakers for Sunday evening March 21st at 7pm on our Facebook page. The issue of racial discrimination and marginalisation is one that impacts many communities and it is important that we all act in solidarity and support each other regardless of what communities we come from. Join us here at 7pm on the 21st.
Our panel includes:
- Owodunni Ola Mustapha is an activist, an asylum seeker, founder of Ballyhaunis Inclusion Project, 2-time recipient of the volunteer of the year award and currently a Master’s Degree student at NUI Galway.
- Rose Marie Maughan is a human rights activist working in the Irish Traveller movement for 17 years campaigning on issues such as accommodation, education, health, ethnicity recognition and diversity within the community.
- Vukasin Nedeljkovic is artist and activist. He initiated the platform Asylum Archive which is a visual representation of Direct Provision. He is a former asylum seeker from Belgrade and spent time in a number of Direct Provision Centres including New Ross and Ballyhaunis.
- TJ Hogan is the coordinator of the East Cork Traveller Project and extensive experience in the area of community development. He has worked on a range of issues including accommodation, and anti-racism and has been an Independent candidate in local and national elections.
BARN & Canal Communities Music Extravaganza
TIME: 7pm
CONTACT: ballyfermotarn@gmail.com
ORGANISER: BARN (Ballyfermot Anti-Racism Network) & Canal Communities
World Anti-Racism Day 2021 Article from the Monthly Cycles
TIME: All day
ORGANISER: Monthly Cycles
ABOUT: Our article explores the issue of racism affecting people who cycle, some of the problems in cycling advocacy, the reasons for Monthly Cycles coming into being, and the importance of solidarity and change.
#TogetherAgainstRacism campaign finale and video release
TIME: Evening, after the closing of the campaign
ORGANISER: INAR
22rd March
Getting Right to Work Doras Report Launch
TIME: 11am
CONTACT: b.vandamme@doras.org
LINK: Click for the details
ORGANISER: Doras
ABOUT: Doras are delighted to launch our new report ‘Getting Right to Work: Access to Employment & Decent Work for International Protection Applicants in Ireland’, with support from the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission (IHREC) on March 22nd at 11am.
Online launch of the report by IHREC Chief Commissioner, Sinéad Gibney, as well as a panel discussion with contributions from rights holders and migrant support organisations.
23rd March
The launch of new iReport.ie Reports of Racism in Ireland 2020
CONTACT: info@inar.ie
LINK: Read media release
ORGANISER: INAR
To mark International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, INAR is launching the newest iReport.ie data report, Reports of Racism in Ireland 2020.
Download iReport.ie Reports of Racism in Ireland 2020
24th March
Digital Inclusion
TIME: 10am-12 noon
ORGANISER: Access I.T CLG
CONTACT: maevem@gmail.com Maeve Moloney
LINK: See here for details
Access I.T provides people living in disadvantaged areas with computer training that is Affordable, flexible and informal.
26th March
How to Tackle Hate Crime and Protect Our People Webinar
TIME: 10am – 12noon and 14 – 16pm
ORGANISER: The Lord Mayor Of Dublin Office and the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR)
LINK: Click here for details
ABOUT:
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Hazel Chu, in partnership with INAR, cordially invites you to attend a free two-part virtual event that will highlight the issue of hate crime, the forthcoming hate crime legislation and supports available to victims.
10:00-12:00 – Morning Webinar
The morning session will focus on the new legislation and what it may mean for victims of Hate Crime in the future in Ireland.
14:00-16:00 – Afternoon Webinar
The afternoon session will focus on the impact of hate crime on victims and supports available.
Join the discussion on social media, using the hashtags #LoveNotHate and #TogetherAgainstRacism.
This event is part of the Facts Against Hate Project.
OUTing the Past Dublin 2021 – I am and CAMP Project
TIME: Throughout the day
ORGANISER: National Museum of Ireland
CONTACT: bhoulihan@museum.ie
LINK: Find out more
ABOUT: OUTing the Past Dublin 2021 The International Festival of LGBTI+ History on 21st – 27th March 2021, bringing LGBTI+ history to a wider audience in an exciting, inspiring and thought-provoking programme of online events.
We are joined by Bríd Murphy and Darren Collins who will be taking over the Museum’s social media accounts to discuss the CAMP Project and the art installation tilted, ‘I am’.
The CAMP project is a series of collaborative works created by Artists working directly and in collaboration with a number of different Irish Traveller groups and communities. The project was inspired by Travellers’ Journey, a year-long temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland-Country Life. The commissioned artworks expand upon the themes explored through the exhibition. The awardees were Gianna Tomasso, Louise Wallace & Brid Murphy, students of Postgrad & Undergrad programmes at Limerick School of Art & Design. The core of the project was to create a series of unique art works that convey the identity and lived experiences of some Irish Travellers.
The project was specially commissioned by the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life with support from Limerick School of Art & Design, Limerick Institute of Technology. The CAMP project is curated by Aideen Barry Artist and LIT Lecturer. ‘I am’ is a video and sound installation that resulted from the collaboration between Darren Collins, a Traveller and LGBTQI+ activist, and visual artist and LSAD undergrad Bríd Murphy. This work aims to address the challenges that arise from identifying with multiple minority identities and the complex dynamic of identifying as LGBTQI+ and Traveller. The project is an ambitious multiscreen video work with sound that conveys the lived experience of Darren Collins presented in a complex multiscreen video installation that temporarily in-CAMP’s itself as an intervention in the museum architect.
27th March
The Racism and Race Toolbox
TIME: 11am
ORGANISER: Racism on the Couch
CONTACT: info@racismonthecouch.com
LINK: Find out more and register here
ABOUT: Race and Racism Toolbox is open to all Psychologists interested in reflecting on their own personal and professional experiences of race and racism. The role of white supremacy in Psychology. We will also provide tools for you to use in your professional and personal lives.
Diversity Video Launch
TIME: 12 noon
ORGANISER: Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland
CONTACT: Summayah Kenna, summayah@islamireland.ie
LINK: Find out more
ABOUT: Virtual tour of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland introducing the diverse workforce and equally diverse work fields.
30th March
#ARM2021: In Dialogue with An Garda Síochána
TIME: 1pm
ORGANISER: Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride
CONTACT: info@dublinpride.ie
LINK: Register here
ABOUT: To mark the end of Anti-Racism Month, Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride is hosting a lunchbreak webinar with An Garda Síochána to discuss the Gardaí’s response to discrimination and crimes against LGBTQ+ people and racialised groups.
Joining us are representatives from An Garda Síochána, TENI – Transgender Equality Network Ireland and anti-racist activist Pradeep Mahadeshwar. Chair: Christelle Gebhardt – Communications & Digital Events Officer, Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride.
Panel: Geraldine Green – Sergeant, Garda National Diversity & Integration Unit
Gordon Grehan – Operations Manager, TENI – Transgender Equality Network Ireland
Pradeep Mahadeshwar – Anti-Racism Activist & Artist
Jed Dowling – CEO, Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride.
31st March
Counterspeech: Challenging Hate Speech Online (INAR Members event only)
TIME: 10:30am – 1pm
ORGANISER: INAR & Facebook
CONTACT: aga@inar.ie
ABOUT: Counterspeech: Challenging Hate Speech Online event with Facebook and I Am Here: an overview of what’s happened in Facebook in relation to hate speech since the INAR Membership event with INAR last year; Facebook policies and initiatives. Followed by the counterspeech workshop with IAmHere International.
Idea and Learning Exchange – Wavelength Project
TIME: 10-12am
ORGANISER: Gaisce – The President’s Award
CONTACT: wavelength@gaisce.ie
LINK: Find out more
Over a practical two hour session [including a coffee break] we want to gather those who are supporting young people who are seeking asylum or have refugee status in Ireland between the ages of 14-25. This is an opportunity to gain more insight into Gaisce’s Wavelength project supporting young people who are asylum seekers or have refugee status.