The Open Hands community group set up by the former committee of St Luke’s Parish Church, Belfast, has unveiled an anti-racism mural completed by young adults beside the ‘peaceline’ between the protestant Shankill area and the Roman Catholic Falls area.
The group, based in St Luke’s in Northumberland Street, was set up after the parish closed for worship in 2006 when parishioners joined with St Stephen’s, Millfield.
The mural, the first local initiative by the Open Hands group, was created by young adults from both sides of the interface. The launch was held in partnership with the Upper Springfield Development Trust and the Shankill Women’s Centre, and was part of Community Relations Week.
The event was co-ordinated by Marion Weir, who was recently appointed community relations officer with Open Hands. Marion has 20 years experience in community relations and is originally from the area.
The speaker at the launch, which included music from harpist Tracey McRory and pupils at Malvern Primary School as well as refreshments in St Luke’s Parish Hall, was Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Relations Council.
The mural is the outcome of a number of anti-racism art workshops run by local artists Danny Deveney, Mark Ervine, Marty Lyons and Matthew Morgan, who have worked with young people from both the Shankill and the Falls. At its centre is Frederick Douglass, an American social reformer who escaped from slavery and went on to become a leader of the abolitionist movement.
Artist Denny Deveney said the mural focused on Douglass’s quotation: “It is easier to build strong children than repair broken adults.”
Speaking at the launch, Mr Morrow said the mural was about re-imaging. “It is about saying we have been through a bad and difficult time in our history in which these communities have suffered more than most. But now we are going down a path towards our future.”
He said the mural made ‘a bold statement against slavery,’ adding that he hoped it was not just an object but something that everyone owned.
Claire Hackett, From the Falls Community Council, described the Open Hands Centre as a ‘brilliant development’ which would provide opportunities for building relationships, opportunities and learning.
The Rev Edith Quirey, rector of St Luke’s and St Stephen’s, said the launch had been ‘absolutely fantastic.’ “I am overwhelmed, the support of the two communities is so important,” she said. “This is the first of many projects we hope to put on to bring the communities back together into shared space.”