Flowers For Humanity in Cologne - gender equality

PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images)

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/22/german-women-have-been-handing-out-flowers-to-refugees_n_9050840.html

Women from Germany have been handing out flowers to refugees across the country following attacks in Cologne on New Years Day. The "Flowers For Humanity In Cologne" campaign saw 100 women visit a refugee centre in Cologne and present people with roses. 

Refugees have also handed out flowers to women to show respect.

Anne Agius, a woman who participated in the event in Cologne on Friday, said: “After the shocking attacks here in Cologne, we Germans are at a crossroads. Will we take the road of division and xenophobia? Or will we choose the road of unity and humanity that will ultimately also keep our country safer?

"While condemning the despicable acts of New Year's Eve, today, hundreds of women here and across the country are choosing to build bridges and overcome fear by reaching out in love.”

- What is happening in this picture? Where do you think the photo was taken?

Explain on New Years Day in Cologne, some women were attacked by groups of men, who showed disrespect and broke the law. In response campaigners are encouraging men and women to show respect to each other. 

- Why are the women handing out roses to refugees?

- What do you think is the effect of handing a rose to someone you don't know? How will it make that person feel?

- What does this tell us about the German women in the photo? Do they want refugees to feel welcome in their city?

- What are the German women hoping will happen as a result of the flowers?

- In the UK what does the Equality Act say about gender? What other groups are protected by the Equality Act?

- What message to do we need to be giving to people who may not know about the Equality Act?

- How is this relevant to our "No Outsiders" message?

Toy Like Me

Screengrab of Zusammengebaut video by NPR

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/28/464688159/lego-will-unveil-a-minifigure-in-a-wheelchair-in-a-first

Lego have announced the inclusion of figures with disabilities in their toy range for the first time. This figure uses a wheelchair.

Rebecca Atkinson of Toy Like Me said, "We are beyond happy right now, Lego have just rocked our brick built world and made 150 million disabled kids, their Mums, Dads, pet dogs and hamsters very happy"

An on line petition for Lego has over 20,000 signatures and calls for the company to make toys that "help generations of kids (both with and without disabilities) grow up with a more positive attitude to human difference"

- What is the picture of?
- What do you notice about the Lego figure?

Tell the children what the picture shows .

- Why do you think Lego chose to include a figure in a wheelchair in its toys?
- Why is it important?
- What will children learn when they play with this figure? (that being in a wheelchair for some people is normal and part of every day life / to accept people with disabilities / to play with children to have disabilities)
- How might a child who uses a wheelchair feel when playing with this toy?
- How does this fit in to the Equality Act?

Nobel Peace Prize for Greek Island

Photograph: Argiris Mantikos/AP

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/24/greek-islanders-to-be-nominated-nobel-peace-prize#img-1

A community of people living on a Greek Island have been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize because of the way they have helped refugees arriving in Europe. A petition calling for the recognition says, "“On remote Greek islands, grandmothers have sung terrified little babies to sleep, while teachers, pensioners and students have spent months offering food, shelter, clothing and comfort to refugees who have risked their lives to flee war and terror.”

Spyro Limneos, one of the many people who helped people arriving on the island said: 

“By opening their hearts the islanders sent a powerful message that humanity is above races, above nations."

- What is happening in the picture?
- Where was this picture taken? 

- Why is the woman in the sea fully clothed and what is the man trying to do?
- Is the woman going to pay the man for helping her? Why not?

- Why is the man helping her?
- Does the man only help some people? Does he only help people who are Christian, or people who do not have a disability, or people who are white? Or does the man help anybody?
- What message are the people living on the Greek Island giving to people who land on their beaches?
- How does this picture fit in to the No Outsiders message at our school?

Marriage Equality In Italy

The Italian government is voting this week on allowing same- sex civil unions and on Saturday 23rd January hundreds of thousands of people joined demonstrations across the country to say they wanted equality. Some held alarm clocks to say it was time for Italy to "wake up".

Italy remains the only country in Western Europe to not recognise civil unions or gay marriage. Campaigner Fabrizio Marrazzo said, “We hope the politicians see that this is not a law just for LGBT people, but for all Italians, for civil rights in Italy.”

He added: “We don’t have more time. In other parts of Europe they did this 10 years ago.”

Photograph: Federico Ferramola/NurPhoto/Corbis
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/24/protests-held-italy-support-legalising-same-sex-unions-gay-marriage

- What is happening in the picture?

- Why is the man holding the alarm clock?

explain the picture

- What do the two men want to be able to do?

- Who is currently allowed to get married in Italy, who isn't allowed? 

- Is this fair?

- What does the law say in the UK? What does the Equality Act say?

- What do we say in our school about different families and marriage?

- If you could send a message to the two men in the picture, what would you say?

- What can the government in Italy learn from No Outsiders?

Community Cohesion in UK

Houses across North England and Wales were hit by floods over Christmas and New Year and there were many examples of community cohesion where volunteers rallied to help those in need.

Among the helpers were Sikh charity Khalsa Aid who gave out food, Ahmadiyyah Muslim Youth Association helped 38 towns and villages affected by floods, York Mosque prepared 100 tonnes of sand bags to try and stop water coming in to homes and  St Barnabas Church collected donations for families. 

Steve Duncam CEO of a charity set up to help the flood victims said, "Total strangers have been coming along and volunteering, making food and hot drinks, digging horrible muck, business lending us space"

The photo shows two men who went round houses in Blackburn that had been flooded, knocking on doors and offering help. They helped this 97 year old man boil eggs for lunch because he couldn't get out of his house to get food.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/35199236/storm-frank-in-pictures-10-ways-communities-have-rallied-round

- What do you notice about the three men in the picture?

- Why are people helping other people they have never met before?

- Are helpers worried about religion, skin, sexual orientation or gender before they help? Why not?

- The three men in the photo are all smiling - why?

- What have the floods taught us about the UK today?

Democracy and diversity

Jackie Biskupsi is sworn in as mayor of Salt Lake City, United States, on Monday 3rd January 2016, with her fiancee Becky Iverson standing at her side. This is an historic election as Jackie Biskupsi is the first openly gay mayor in the city. 500 people gave her a standing ovation at the event.

Jackie said she is committed to "building an inclusive and welcoming Salt Lake City .... creating opportunity for people from all walks of life".

"It is for you that I will work every day to build a city for everyone."

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=38002640&nid=148&title=jackie-biskupski-sworn-in-as-salt-lake-city-mayor

- What is happening in the picture?

- How do we know where the photo was taken? (the flag)

explain the picture

- Why are the two women on the left of the photo smiling?

- How did Jackie Biskupsi get to be mayor? What is democracy?

- What does Jackie Biskupsi mean when she says she wants to build "an inclusive and welcoming Salt Lake City" and "I will work to build a city for everyone"?

- Why do you think the people of Salt Lake City voted for Jackie Biskupsi?

- What can we learn from Salt Lake City?