Working against racism at Lorenzo Gafà Secondary

Racism and our attitude towards people of different cultures have become crucial issues in Maltese society. During this scholastic year, Lorenzo Gafà Boys' Secondary School (Fortini) of Vittoriosa, a school forming part of Cottonera College, has focused on trying to raise awareness among its students about the lives of people coming from different cultures.

The aim of the school was to combat racism by making students come face to face with the real lives of people coming from different cultures, making them aware that these are persons who have the same hopes, dreams and aspirations as ours.

During the first activity organised by the school, students met a number of Nigerian footballers who play in the Maltese Premier League and First Division. During a forum discussion, a number of these Nigerian footballers eloquently described the ugliness and cruelty of racism. The students also had the chance to spend a few minutes playing football in the presence of these players.

This activity was very well received by students since it combined a strong message against racism with a sports activity which is very popular among students. Coming face to face with the racism which professional footballers have to face regularly was an eye-opener for many students.

Later on during this scholastic year, the school organised a day against racism in collaboration with JRS, the Jesuit Refugee Service. Throughout this day various activities were organised. Different classes met a number of refugees who spoke about their lives and answered questions put to them by students. Other classes participated in a role-playing exercise during which they experienced being locked up in a detention centre.

Finally, the upper forms participated in a discussion with a number of refugees, Dr Katrine Camilleri from JRS and a representative of an NGO working with immigrants. This discussion was often a heated one, reflecting the intense debate currently under way in the country about this issue. However, it was an important learning experience in democratic debate for the students of the school.

Most importantly, for many students, meeting refugees face to face was a rich experience which made them aware that behind the stereotypes and prejudice so often bandied about in our society, refugees are individual persons who have gone through very difficult experiences and who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.