Category: English

I would like to start by sharing with you this idea, which I find very thought-provoking: “there is a big difference between being not-racist and being anti-racist”. Even though both attitudes may seem similar, they are not. People who are not-racist tend to be a bystander and keep quiet when they witness a racist interaction.…

There are two languages: the mother tongue and the other. The first is given to us as we are born into a language in which we absorb implicit cultural elements we can only clearly see by leaving them behind. Only from a distance does the mother tongue acquire its proper dimension; only from a distance…

Many things in our life are at stake in our actions. In our actions and behaviour, we see reflected, or not, our words and values. What we call consistency or social credibility depends on our acts. Just as every father and mother know, they cannot avoid the task of teaching some important values to their…

Amid the storm of unpleasant phrases that accompany the debate around migrants and refugees coming into the country these days, and the increase in the volume of far-right groups, one wonders why, among all this noise, one cannot hear the voice of refugees and migrants. Understandably, refugees cannot speak out while being attacked and harassed,…

Zombie movies have a terrifying topicality. For example, a town in which the life of its inhabitants passes in routine tranquillity suddenly, and as a consequence of an extraordinary event, sees how its inhabitants become dead people who walk around idiotically looking for someone to turn into a zombie like them. Why is the zombie…

We were sick of seeing the liners leav~ With our own day in, day out, so when The boats came with refugees to CobhIt was worth the fare to travelFrom Cork to glimpse them on railed decks.They seemed like ourselves, which became Disappointing. Their clothes were different:Dark coats and scarves like shawls,Shoes heavy as anvils.…

During the last decades and originating in the United States, a new edge has been developing in the discussion on racial justice issues that refer to the case of allies. What does being an ally mean? It refers to white, educated and privileged people who declare their support for people of colour, migrants and victims…

The difference between a child and an adult is that adults are held responsible for their obligations and rights. Children don’t go to prison; adults can go to prison or join a union to demand their labour rights. Adults also decide where they want to live.  When we travel, we unknowingly carry our experience, positive…

The time comes when migrants and refugees ask themselves: Do I have the same rights that the people of this country have? The answer we arrive at after getting information and talking with friends and institutions is yes, we do. We have the right to access education, health, work or social security, provided that we…

Our expectations concerning the country’s institutions where we find ourselves as migrants constitute a mirror in which important things are reflected. While we wait our turn at a public service queue, enrol children in the school or participate in parent meetings, we exercise our rights and responsibilities. Life continues its course. The host country expects…

The COVID-19 crisis taught us many lessons. We learned about viruses, bacteria and germs, but we also learned to step out of our self-absorption. Why? Because we realised that we are all interconnected and depend on each other to stop -or spread- a global pandemic. But in practical terms, and perhaps most importantly, we learned…

I was walking down the street a couple of days ago and saw a line of people queuing outside a building waiting to attend a workshop. The event was free, so I joined the crowd.  The workshop was about “empowerment and self-improvement”, and the group enthusiastically gathered to listen to a speaker who urged them…