"At home in exile"

dublin | racism & migration related issues | opinion/analysis Wednesday May 31, 2006 10:06 by Sebastian Koch - NYP2 Sebastian.nyp2 at web dot de

Ireland at crossroads

Radio-feature examining foreign national intergration in Dublins North Inner City.

Ireland, which was a traditional country for emigration throughout its history has now begun to go through a period of significant changes. With the roar of the Celtic-Tiger started a time of vast economical development, new jobs and higher wages.
This new situation caused massive changes in Irish society. Communities, which showed a rather homogeneous picture of it’s people are now in the middle of a process of rapid change.

One of these communities is the Inner city of Dublin.

A traditional working-class area that struggled for decades with massive unemployment, drug abuse and social exclusion is now facing a completely different challenge: The integration of the fast growing number of foreigners in the community.

In a time of rapid change and modernisation we don’t only struggle to preserve our own cultural heritage but we have to prepare society to become multinational and more tolerant. We are standing at the crossroads of our own future. All political decisions made now, can contribute to a multicultural Ireland and a hopeful future for ourselves and the growing number of immigrants.

Otherwise, we might face a scenario that is not too different from what we have seen in Paris, Brussels or Berlin. Ghettos and social exclusion for the majority of immigrants. Despair, lack of education and no perspective for young foreigners.
Both ultimately leading to crime and violence in migrant ghettos.

The choice is ours.

This radio-feature looks into the lives of some the Inner Cities most vulnerable new members today. Foreign national young people.

http://nearfm.ie/podcast/ >>> "At home in exile", part 1 and 2

This feature is the product of a media-educational project which has been carried out in co-operation with German Journalist Sebastian Koch and NEARFM, a community radio-station for North Dublin.