Transition Year Cross-Border
Cinema Twinning Project

De La Salle College's Transition Year students have recently completed a Cross-Border School Twinning Project with Dromore High School, Co. Down.

The brainchild of the Cinemobile & Cinemagic organisations 'School Twinning: Collaboration Along The Border', the programme saw the De La Salle & Dromore High students collaborate on a two-day programme of film screenings & workshops.
Day One, hosted by Dromore High School, saw the Dundalk students visit the Cinemobile in County Down for a screening of Mark Herman's 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas', based on the novel by John Boyne. The screening was followed by two workshops, covering the topics of racism, genocide, cultural identity, children in conflict & peace & reconciliation. The workshops were hosted by Cinemagic staff member Melanie Harrison & staff from the Children in Crossfire charity.

Day Two, hosted by De La Salle, saw the Dromore students visit Dundalk for a screening of Hana Makhmalbaf's 'Buddha Collapsed Out Of Shame', which tells the story of a 5 year-old Afghan girls struggle to go to school, overcoming poverty, sexism, religious & cultural obstacles & machismo along the way. The screening was also followed by two workshops, covering the topics of sexism, religious intolerance, religious fundamentalism, peace & violence & solutions to the problems encountered. The workshops were hosted by Cinemagic staff member Melanie Harrison & Mark Conroy from spunout.ie, the Irish youth website.

The twinning project gave the students, who are from very different cultural & political backgrounds, an opportunity to mix socially & discuss common topics that affect young adults of their age. The programme was a great success & was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Thanks must go to Noreen Collins (Cinemobile), Melanie Harrison (Cinemagic), Children In Crossfire, SpunOut.ie & to the organising teachers, Piotr Sidor (Dromore High School) & Declan McGrath (De La Salle College, Dundalk). The project was co-funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture & Sport & Peace III Cross-Border Funding.