Belfast

We met Paul Woods, a teacher at St Louise’s school, and other members of INTO, the Irish teachers’ Union, in Belfast when we were there for the IATEFL conference in the Spring of 2022 and they invited us back there in the Autumn of 2022 to host Rahaf, Malak and Yara (from Gaza) and Julia and Magdalena (from Czechia) – the winners of our 2021 Intercultural Remote theatre competition. The girls hadn’t met each other face to face before, and neither had their teachers – Rinan and Jasmina - but they all came together at St Louise’s to put on this amazing live performance of ‘Welcome to Earth’, a play which had originally only been performed remotely, in the school hall. The production involved the school’s choir, dance, drama and art departments and was preceded by this performance of ‘We will wait until they open the gate’ by EAL learners from St Louise’s. Both plays were performed in front of a hugely appreciative audience of parents, pupils and teachers. Since the genocide started we are so grateful for the ongoing support and care for Rahaf, Malak, Yara and Rinan by Paul by Paul, Mairead and Sophie and all the staff and pupils of St Louise’s.