Other News In Brief

A Day Of Reflection To Take Place At Belfast City Hall

Belfast City Council has announced that a Day of Reflection is set to take place on Belfast City Hall.

Following a similar format to previous events held in 2022 and 2023, City Hall will be illuminated in yellow on the evening of Friday 21 June.

Also on this day from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, visitors are invited to participate in a variety of activities. They can engage in quiet reflection, take part in creative arts, listen to poetry and readings and speak with representatives from various support organisations. At 6:00pm, there will be a screening of a short film by the local organization Healing Through Remembering.

Throughout the evening, attendees can also share their hopes for the future by adding a leaf with a personal message to the 'Thought Tree'.

Councillors had previously agreed that the event would be held annually, providing an opportunity for people and communities across the city to acknowledge the deep hurt and pain caused by the conflict in and about Northern Ireland.

Updated Teacher Education Partnership Handbook Launched

Education Minister, Paul Givan, has launched an updated handbook outlining key stages of professional learning for student and newly qualified teachers.

The handbook's new additions include a sample teacher tutor calendar, a detailed summary of key professional learning stages for student and early career teachers and a list of valuable publications and websites.

Welcoming the new handbook, the Minister said: "Supporting the development of the education workforce is key to meeting the educational needs of children and young people today. The 2024 edition of the Teacher Education Partnership Handbook provides guidance not only for student teachers and early career teachers, but also university tutors, teacher tutors, and all those involved in the early years of teacher professional learning.

"The Handbook demonstrates my ongoing commitment to supporting our teachers and their Professional Learning – as outlined in the ‘Learning Leaders’ Strategy – and will contribute to delivering a highly skilled, motivated and high-functioning education workforce."

The revised handbook followed extensive collaboration and input from education partners including the Higher Education Institutions, the Education Authority, the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland, the Education and Training Inspectorate and Teacher Tutors, amongst others. It was also produced with updated terminology and design enhancements for easy navigation.

2024 Foyle Maritime Festival Focuses On Sustainability

The 2024 Foyle Maritime Festival is set to include new features aimed at prompting the public to reflect on their environmental impact and embrace necessary changes to protect the planet from climate change risks.

The renowned maritime event expects over 100,000 visitors on the Foyle riverside from June 27 to June 30. Activities include Tall Ships, on-water fun, music, animations and food. The "Beyond Blue" theme ensures a plastic-free environment, aligning with Vision 2025 for sustainability.

Festival and Events Manager at Council Jacqueline Whoriskey, said:

"Through the theme we want to challenge ourselves to reimagine our interaction with the vast blue resources of our seas and oceans. Beyond Blue invites us to look at things from a different perspective, think outside the box and find new ways to meet the needs of the modern world, without further impacting climate change.

"We all have a responsibility to address the environmental impact of our behaviour and the programme aims to highlight that with practical initiatives such as water refill stations and a reusable cup deposit scheme. The message will also be presented through art and performance with thought provoking animations, installations and the showcase event on the Saturday night."

The plastic free celebrations will include a complete ban on single use plastics, strict waste management and recycling guidelines for traders, no printed programmes, increased eco-friendly energy sources and a cup deposit and a return scheme at the festival bars.

Visitors are encouraged to join the festival's plastic-free bottle campaign by bringing their own water bottles and using the fresh water stations spread across the festival areas.

Each day, the Science of Water area at Coney Island zone will host interactive workshops for families, featuring games, storytelling and demonstrations focused on sustainability and the environment.

In collaboration with the Sustainable Festivals Group, the festival has given a commitment to set benchmarks in environmental stewardship and has joined Vision 2025, along with 500 other events in the UK and Ireland vowing to uphold the Green Events Code.

On the evening of Saturday 29 June the riverfront will come alive with lighting, pyrotechnics, a parade of specially lit Tall Ships and music creating a theatrical riverscape that pays homage to the power and poetry of the ocean and anticipates the infinite opportunities it presents when we look beyond the horizon and Beyond Blue.

The Foyle Maritime Festival is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council in partnership with key stakeholders Foyle Port and Loughs Agency and supported by a range of funders including TNI, Diageo and Ulster University.