Recently, our Head Boy, Conor Cinnamond, travelled to Germany to take part in a UK-German connections programme. Below is a piece from Conor about his experience.

I heard about the UK-German connection youth seminar “Peacing it together 2” through both my French and Spanish teachers here in school. I applied for the programme as I love travelling and getting to know people who are different to me. Moreover, I am generally really interested in current affairs and politics and I love studying languages. Therefore, I wanted to get involved, have my voice heard but also hear the voices of others. German skills were not necessary and when I found that out, I felt it was an opportunity I could not miss!

The programme lasted 4 days (Thursday – Sunday) and it involved two groups, one coming from the north of Ireland and the other a group comprised of young people from all over Germany. We stayed in a hostel in Leipzig for three nights and then spent our final day in Berlin. The objective of the youth seminar was to get two groups from post-conflict societies. This meant young people from both communities here in the North and some young people from families from former East Germany and young people from former West Germany. We took part in workshops around the past, identity, shared and integrated education and the future. We shared our opinions, experience and explored differences and similarities of our culture, way of life and attitudes to our society, having come out of conflict. We also took part in historical tours of Leipzig and Berlin, learning the impact of the peaceful revolution in Leipzig and the falling of the Berlin Wall. It was also quite special as we were in Berlin on the 30^th anniversary of the falling of the Berlin wall.

Firstly, I have learnt that there is more that unites us than divides us and one thing we all agreed on was that we want prosperity, equality and sustainability at the heart of our future. We may have had different opinions on what the future will look like constitutionally, politically, socially but that didn’t matter as everyone conducted themselves in a respectful manner, fully trying to understand each other’s views. We all to have to try to be open-minded. Secondly, it was honestly so interesting to hear the different views of all the participants as we may not experience such perspectives in our day-to-day life especially depending on where we live. Furthermore, I think it’s essential to note that by being friends and forming friendships with people who are different to you does not in any way dilute your own views or render them less valid, what it does mean is that your own views do not hold you back from meeting new people.

Being the only person from my school going on the seminar was a bit daunting at first but then I realised everyone was in the same boat. The seminar gave me an incredible experience both educationally and socially and it was an honour to be chosen to participate in it. I have undoubtedly made friends for life. I think with these types of opportunities we have to take them and jump in head first!