There are many groups and organisations that are working hard to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and tolerance. Some bring awareness to the issues faced by minority groups, others use the Arts to bring communities together. Every month ROiAR will catch up with one of these groups/organisations to find out what they are up to and how we can help.
This month we got chatting with the lovely people from BlueFire who are based in Dublin, Ireland.
Why
and when was BlueFire set up?
BlueFire was set up in 2013 to facilitate social and
intercultural integration through music and the arts.
BlueFire is a great name, is there a story behind the name?
The heart behind it
is that when we think of fire we think of the colour red/yellow, however blue
fire is also fire, it is just a different type of fire. And isn't this the same as people? We can
range from white, to tan, to light brown to black, but we are all human, and should
be treated as such.
What
does BlueFire do?
An integral part of what we do at BlueFire is creating
interactive intercultural events where people can engage with those from other
communities and cultural backgrounds. Our main project is our annual festival,
the BlueFire Street Fest.
Do
you have any upcoming events?
The BlueFire Street Fest 2014 takes place in the historic
Smithfield Square in Dublin City Centre on 20th September and it's absolutely
free. Through music and the arts, BlueFire Street Fest 2014 will showcase the
diverse range of people and cultures that now call Dublin home. Suitable for
all ages and nationalities, musicians and artists from across Ireland and the
world will participate in this city centre extravaganza.
How
can people get involved?
People can get involved by volunteering with BlueFire at
volunteer.ie. BlueFire is run completely by volunteers who donate their time to
assist with the running, organising and promotion of events.
Is
racism a problem in Ireland?
Yes, it is, but I feel
that only a small percentage of racism is driven by maliciousness. We at
BlueFire believe that the majority of racism comes from a lack of understanding
of one another, and from preconceived prejudices that we have been born
into. We feel strongly that by providing
spaces in which we can learn the truths about other cultures, we will see a drop
in racism in this country.
Can
the Arts help bring communities together?
The arts offer a universal language which transcends social
differences. Education doesn't only have to happen in the classroom, we can
learn through sharing experiences and through shared experience.
You can also check them out @BlueFireDublin on twitter
B~
