September 2005 - Association Comenius

BATES Maeve
ERASMUS Student
St Patrick’s College
DUBLIN
"Approaching Violence in order to avoid it,
a European Challenge"
From the 14th to the 25th of February I
attended a 2 week, European Intensive
Programme in Mechelen, in north
Belgium. The programme was entitled
"Approaching Violence in order to avoid
it, a European Challenge". The
programme was enriched beyond
measure by the international presence of
30 international students who travelled
from disparate parts of Europe. Students
from Spain; Sweden; Ireland; Portugal;
Holland; Belgium and The Congo
gathered together with Mechelen
Hogeschool as our hub. Animated and
intricate discussions erupted thanks to
this cultural diversity. Contrasts and
comparisons between systems in place in
different countries and attitudes towards
violence according to cultural values,
broadened the scope and context of our
study of violence in society. One such
instance involved a workshop where
statements were made such as:
- A teacher being frequently delayed at
the beginning of a lesson
· Sexual harassment on a girl by boys
from another class
· The strongest students claiming as
their own the only tennis table
available
· Supplying haschisch inside the school
· A too small canteen for a large
number of students
· A teacher’s brutality towards a
provoking pupil
· A fight among pupils
· Damaged car of a teacher (scratches
on the body)
· Exaggerated attention for well-known
trademark clothes
· Cans left on tables or sills
· Smoking a joint as a group at the end
of a corridor
Each person then had to display his
opinion by standing either far left from
the "neutral line" to indicate his
opposition and far right to display his
agreement. This activity, followed by
group discussions proved to be a
revelatory display of cultural differences
in values and attitudes to violence.
In addition, cultural evenings reinforced
the celebration of our international
group. Mouth watering, Belgian
chocolate; beer; Swedish vodka; cheese
and bread tasting as well as traditional
dances, games and songs filled up our
evenings!
The programme itself was steeped in
pedagogy in that the activities and
workshops were interactive, challenging
and were often applicable to classroom
settings for those involved in teaching.
Examples of these dynamic workshops
and activities include a guided tour of
Breendock Detention Camp, a
Sociological study in Brussels on the
impact of town planning on behavioural
violence, and music and drama
workshops.
The most striking features of the
programme which have resonated with
me are the friends that I made and who I
have already visited since the
programme. I was also haunted by the
visit to Breendock. Harrowing scenes of
torture and despair echoed through the
empty torture chambers and rooms. An
image which is imprinted in my mind is
that of one inmate's lasting legacy - a
painting of the radiant face of Jesus in
his cell.
In conclusion, the programme has
deconstructed my concept of violence
and revealed how one's values are
culturally specific and are informed by
the media as well as by one's social
group. In my opinion, violence and
power are inextricably linked, the only
way to break the cycle of violence is for
people to use their power in a
democratic, non-aggressive manner
through discussion, mediation and
through analysing the source of violence
and the goal of the person in the seat of
power.
Cormenius Journal | 45