Brussels response

It can be very difficult to broach discussions with young children following terrible atrocities such as the terrorist attacks in Brussels today. Below is a script that can be used either in a class or an assembly. It uses the phrase No Outsiders, which is how we in my own school talk about diversity - we are all insiders, no one is an outsider; we are all different but we all get along. The terrorist attacks can be discussed using this analogy by acknowledging that some people in the world do not believe in No Outsiders because they want everyone to be the same. Children must understand that their job is to make sure the No Outsiders message is loud and clear so that different people around the world can live together in peace.

Photograph: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/brussels-square-covered-with-chalk-drawn-messages-after-attacks

Following attacks in Brussels, Belgium on March 22nd 2016, people in the city were told to stay at home to be safe. However, the main square in Brussels was quickly covered in chalk as people continued to visit and contribute to a huge message board of support on the ground. 

What's happening in the picture?
Where was it taken?
Does anyone know what happened in Brussels yesterday?

Yesterday there were terrorist attacks in Brussels and many people lost their lives. The people carrying out these attacks do not believe in the same ideas that we do here. They want to have one race of people, one faith. They want all people to be the same. We want lots of different races, different faiths, different people. That's why we say there are No Outsiders. We want everyone to be welcome. We like to live alongside people who are different.

- Who wrote the messages?
- There are lots of different languages in the picture; what does this show?
- Do you think people who wrote the messages were all from one faith, one ethnicity?

This shows that different people all over the world agree with us. They, like us, want a world where different people with different faith and race, live together in peace.

Close your eyes and think about what we can do to make sure our No Outsiders message is spread around the world so that all people can be safe.