FORMER world boxing champion Carl Frampton was the special guest at Cliftonville Integrated Primary School to mark the completion of a unique shared education programme.
Pupils from the school teamed up with neighbours Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain to complete a PEACE PLUS programme, focusing on shared education partnerships with other schools to foster community relations, friendship, and collaborative learning.
Carl Frampton took part in a question and answer session with the children before presenting each of them with a certificate after completing the programme.
Conor Murray, teacher at Cliftonville IPS and project co-ordinator said: "This is a cross-community project between Cliftonville Integrated Primary School and Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain, which is in its second year.
"It is all about building cross-community relations, ease tensions outside of school that could exist, break down barriers and prejudices at a young age.
"The activities the children took part in was all around peacebuilding and reconciliation.
"One of the tasks was for the children to create their own school, uniform, crest and school rules. They also learnt about the history of flags that they might see in their local area.
"They also took part in a project to create their own country with different issues and scenarios.
"We were delighted to welcome Carl Frampton to present certificates to the children on completion of the project. There is no better person than him who represents this place – absolutely perfectly. He is a real role model for the children."
Carl Frampton added: "I enjoy doing events like this. I am a patron of NICIE (Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education) and programmes like PEACE PLUS is fantastic to bring kids together from different backgrounds and communities.
"I enjoyed the question and answer session with them. They were all very polite and knowledgable and I was really happy to chat to and meet them all."
