The International Dimension
‘Learning from Each Other’ – since 1994
Shimna’s Specialism was languages and the international dimension. A particular expression of internationalism was our participation every year in the Mock Council of the European Union.
The Mock Council of the European Union assembled every year, originally in Stormont and laterally in Belfast City Hall. Each participating school took on the role of representing a member country of the EU. Two topics for discussion were released in advance, giving each team of three time to research and orient themselves to the viewpoint of the country they were to represent.
In our very first year, we were asked to chair the Council, a daunting task, but the team, of Tanya Murray, Mark O’Reilly, Stephen Lowry and Rachel Cleary stepped up and did an excellent job.
In subsequent years we went on to represent Cyprus, Greece, the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia and Romania. Every year the challenges were topical. In the early days, climate issues came to the fore, and the accession of new member states. Latterly, with the interesting input of the new members, climate issues remained relevant, and also the challenges presented by migration, refugees and asylum seekers.
The challenge was always to understand the complexities of the country we were representing and to quell any thoughts of representing Northern Ireland instead. When we represented Sweden, we felt on very moral high ground in terms of our response to refugees. That lasted until the question was raised by others as to how refugees from warmer climes would cope in the Arctic region former ski resorts where we were proposing to house them.
We thoroughly enjoyed representing the relatively newly acceded Romania just when another school had to represent the UK withdrawing from the EU. Jane Morrice, Head of the European Commission Office in Belfast and leading the session, had actually shed tears at the start of the meeting because the UK would no longer be involved. Speaking for Romania, we could also speak for all the majority Remainers in Northern Ireland. Romania explained that after the Habsburg empire, the Ottoman empire, Nazi and then Communist domination, joining the EU felt like freedom and it was impossible to understand why the UK wanted to leave.
Having discussed EU matters previously in Shimna, our students were well aware of course that in an Integrated community all sides of the argument are likely to be represented.
The challenge during the debates was to raise your country’s flag swiftly enough to catch the attention of the chair in order to make your point. Jane Morrice was also careful to take time to go round the full range of countries in order so that everyone, however tentative, would have an opportunity to participate.
Níamh took her opportunity to ensure that everyone in Europe became aware of the size of both the wolf and the brown bear population of Romania. Jane Morrice was very impressed with her gumption.
The experience was an immense challenge every year. Our teams extended their research skills, took on the huge empathy challenge when they represented a country which didn’t align with their personal view and overcame nerves when the time came to speak up.