We are welcoming local playgroups and families with children aged 0-4 to come and explore our loose parts play session. Come along and connect with the Community!
Using recycled scrap-store materials, little ones can discover textures, build and create in their own playful way. A fun introduction to caring for our Planet through play.
Shared? is a theatre show that tells the interlinking stories of the residents of one small set of streets in south Belfast, as they bash into each other’s paths, confronting moments when they may be able to see very few choices while trying to do their absolute best.
We are offering an entertainingly serious opportunity to share, and kick around, ideas on one of the most basic human rights – housing, and a home life that provides safety and opportunity.
The play touches on social and financial struggles, the pleasures and perils of neighbours, mental health, loneliness, racism, the (infamous) mysteries of the points system, nostalgia and a sense of loss for things that seem to have gone. Conspiracy theories and rumour are rife in the relationships between landlords (private and social), tenants and neighbours, residents’ groups, politicians and planners.
None of us are setting out to fix anything or offer easy answers to complex issues. We’re just trying to frame the right questions and, mainly, to show the human lives behind statistics and stereotypes. It’s great craic too of course and free so get there early.
COST: FREE
DATES AND TIMES: Friday 17th October at 7.30pm Markets Community Centre Saturday 18th October at 7.30pm Donegall Pass Community Centre Sunday 19th October at 6pm Sandy Row Community Centre
Duration approximately 90 minutes
Shared? is a theatre show that tells the interlinking stories of the residents of one small set of streets in south Belfast, as they bash into each other’s paths, confronting moments when they may be able to see very few choices while trying to do their absolute best.
We are offering an entertainingly serious opportunity to share, and kick around, ideas on one of the most basic human rights – housing, and a home life that provides safety and opportunity.
The play touches on social and financial struggles, the pleasures and perils of neighbours, mental health, loneliness, racism, the (infamous) mysteries of the points system, nostalgia and a sense of loss for things that seem to have gone. Conspiracy theories and rumour are rife in the relationships between landlords (private and social), tenants and neighbours, residents’ groups, politicians and planners.
None of us are setting out to fix anything or offer easy answers to complex issues. We’re just trying to frame the right questions and, mainly, to show the human lives behind statistics and stereotypes. It’s great craic too of course and free so get there early.
COST: FREE
DATES AND TIMES: Friday 17th October at 7.30pm Markets Community Centre Saturday 18th October at 7.30pm Donegall Pass Community Centre Sunday 19th October at 6pm Sandy Row Community Centre
Duration approximately 90 minutes
Belfast Trust Staff are invited to come along and hear real life stories and lives experiences from our international staff and services users from ethnic minority communities including people asylum in a welcoming and safe space to foster mutual understanding, build empathy and create connections.
A group of housing associations will join forces with the Irish Football Association (IFA) to kick off a new partnership promoting inclusion, equality, and community cohesion through the power of football.
Through the Housing for All Programme, the associations are lending their support to the IFA’s Inclusion and Disability Football Programme – proving that when it comes to inclusion, we’re all on the same team. The partnership will be officially launched at Avoneil Leisure Centre during Good Relations Week, with backing from the Community Relations Council.
The collaboration – involving APEX, Arbour, ARK, Choice, Radius, Rural, Triangle, Woven, and North Belfast Housing – will provide new football opportunities for people of all abilities and backgrounds.
The Inclusion & Disability Football programme is supported by the Department for Communities and the Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.
Each of the nine Housing Associations involved managed shared housing developments across northern Ireland, with associated five-year Good Relations Plan
Delivered through the Irish FA Foundation, the Inclusion and Disability Football Programme ensures that people with disabilities – including those with learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, and powerchair users – can get involved in the game and shine.
The programme features weekly training sessions, regional leagues, national competitions, and elite pathways, with more than 80 disability football teams currently taking part across Northern Ireland. Players compete across three age groups: 7–11, 12–16, and 16+.
There’s also a great assist for young people studying Sports Management at Belfast Met, who can gain valuable experience as match referees.
Shared? is a theatre show that tells the interlinking stories of the residents of one small set of streets in south Belfast, as they bash into each other’s paths, confronting moments when they may be able to see very few choices while trying to do their absolute best.
We are offering an entertainingly serious opportunity to share, and kick around, ideas on one of the most basic human rights – housing, and a home life that provides safety and opportunity.
The play touches on social and financial struggles, the pleasures and perils of neighbours, mental health, loneliness, racism, the (infamous) mysteries of the points system, nostalgia and a sense of loss for things that seem to have gone. Conspiracy theories and rumour are rife in the relationships between landlords (private and social), tenants and neighbours, residents’ groups, politicians and planners.
None of us are setting out to fix anything or offer easy answers to complex issues. We’re just trying to frame the right questions and, mainly, to show the human lives behind statistics and stereotypes. It’s great craic too of course and free so get there early.
COST: FREE
DATES AND TIMES: Friday 17th October at 7.30pm Markets Community Centre Saturday 18th October at 7.30pm Donegall Pass Community Centre Sunday 19th October at 6pm Sandy Row Community Centre
Duration approximately 90 minutes
As a participant on the South Belfast Local Community Empowerment Programme you will spend at least 30 hours over the next year co-designing and delivering a project with other local people
Make new connections and learn new skills together
contact Fiona Molloy South Belfast CEP Coordinator to register your interest.
fiona.mollou@forwardsouth.org
Diverse Youth NI, in partnership with Belfast City of Sanctuary and Ulster University, is honoured to present the screening of Unseen Boundaries as part of Good Relations Week 2025. The event will take place on Friday, 17th October 2025, from 4.00pm to 6.00pm at Lecture Theatre 2, Ulster University Belfast Campus.
Unseen Boundaries is a short documentary developed through our Hi-M8 BAME Youth Mental Health Campaign. It explores the often-hidden mental health challenges faced by Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic young people in Northern Ireland, drawing attention to barriers in accessing vital public services, including higher education. By capturing authentic youth voices and lived experiences, the film seeks to spark conversation about inequality, resilience, and inclusion. This documentary is suitable for both adults and children. Young people are encouraged to come along for the event.
The programme will begin at 4.00pm with the documentary screening, followed by a panel discussion and an interactive session from 4.40pm to 6.00pm. This will provide space for questions, comments, and reflections from the audience, ensuring that the event is not only informative but also participatory.
We are inviting representatives from the authorities, community leaders, and key stakeholders, alongside young people and members of the public. The event offers an important opportunity to strengthen dialogue on mental health, good relations, and the role of education in building a more inclusive society.
Belfast Exposed is proud to announce the launch of First They Ignore You, a striking new photobook by artist and photographer Sheila Chakravarti, on 16 October 2025. The publication explores the lived realities of racism in Belfast, offering a vital platform for immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees whose voices are often marginalised.
Through intimate photographic portraits, Chakravarti challenges the way people affected by racism are represented. While each sitter has experienced racial abuse, the artist resists presenting them as victims. Instead, she captures their resilience, strength of character, and sense of humour. The result is a powerful body of work that refuses pity and calls for solidarity.
Sheila Chakravarti said:
“I wanted to create a book that shows people not as victims, but as who they truly are — strong, resilient, and full of humour, even in the face of racism. These portraits are about dignity and presence, about being seen and heard in a society that too often turns away.”
Deirdre Robb, CEO of Belfast Exposed, said:
“At Belfast Exposed, we are committed to amplifying voices and stories that too often go unheard. Sheila’s work is powerful because it both confronts the reality of racism in Northern Ireland and celebrates the humanity of those who live through it. With racism reported at the highest levels in the UK here, this book and the conversations around it could not be more urgent or necessary.”
Recent reports highlight that Northern Ireland has the highest levels of racism in the UK, an issue brought into sharper focus with the recent increase in migration to the region. ‘First They Ignore You’ arrives at a crucial time, sparking dialogue and understanding while celebrating the humanity of those at its centre.
The launch event will also feature an expert panel discussion titled No Pity Party, exploring three key areas of racism in Northern Ireland:
Event Details:
First They Ignore You – Book Launch & Panel Discussion
Date: Thursday 16 October 2025
Venue: Belfast Exposed Photography
Admission: Free (booking recommended)
Hunger Games for Peace is an event for young people delivered by YouthAction NI as part of the Shared Agenda for Peace programme. This Shared Learning Partnership is between East Africa Youth and Lower Ormeau Youth Hub. This closed event is happening in Lower Ormeau Youth Hub.
The ‘Hunger for Peace Games’ is an initiative that lends its methodology to that of the book ‘Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins and the subsequent film series. In this series young people (tributes) are selected to compete in an annual pageant called the ‘Hunger Games’. Within the Games the ‘tributes’ are forced to fight to the death in this widely watched spectacle.
Purpose/Aim:
• Using a similar methodology to the Hunger Games, our adaptation promotes more of a fight for peace than a fight to the death.
• It assumes that peace is not a given or an end product in itself, but rather one that requires careful and considered attention and effort.
• It supports young people and adults to reflect on their experiences, and share their insights about living in or observing divided/separate societies.
Outcomes:
• To meet, connect and build relationships with others from different backgrounds and communities.
• To share insights about how conflict and violence impact on attitudes, choices and behaviours.
• To identify practical ways to overcome conflict and to contribute to peace-building.