With Belfast in contention to become European City of Culture 2008, Children's Express reporters joined competition judges on a tour of the city as they decided if Belfast is good enough to be shortlisted for the final stage.
| Young people will be the primary beneficiaries of this, not people like me |
The real value of winning a city of culture bid for the next generation of young people was laid out clearly by panel Chairman Sir Jeremy Issacs yesterday as he visited Belfast's cultural hotspots in a whistestop tour of the city.
Sir Jeremy and other panellists were taken from one end of the city to the other in an effort to convince them that Belfast has got what it takes to be called the most exciting European city in 2008.
Speaking after a visit to Conway Mill artistic community in the west of the city, Sir Jeremy said that he was convinced that the word culture doesn't mean art, it's about bringing people together.
"The tremendous opportunity of a bid is to improve a city. If people just do the things they really enjoy, whatever they are, they'll find out that art can unite people. It never divides people," he said.
It was no surprise then that 'Through the eyes of a child' was a cornerstone of Belfast's bid, envisaged in projects like Jack's House, a children's centre for myths and legends.
Speaking as a representative of the Shankill Road Orange Hall, twenty-two year old Andrew Madison viewed the day as an opportunity to promote unity among young people by sharing and supporting cultural experience:
"Belfast is a cooking pot full of cultures and to bring it all together under one concept - it'll benefit the people of Belfast. Cultural understanding can only bring young people together."
Speaking at Odyssey arena, the panellist's first stop, Belfast Giants' Managing Director, Bob Zellar, was keen to point out that many ordinary young people in Belfast probably aren't aware of the bid, and therefore are unable to lend their support.
"We tend to relegate young people to a corner and that's a dreadful thing to do. Young people will be the primary beneficiaries of this, not people like me."
The self-described 'youth panellist', thirty-five year old Miranda Sawyer, an Observer newspaper journalist, possessed a very down to earth view of what culture means: "You can define culture as high opera or ballet dancing, or you could define it as just talking to people.
"All the people I have met are really open, friendly and interesting. That's more what the general culture of a city is."
Panellist Magnus Linklater was encouraged by talking to people and seemed positive about what he'd seen on his visit. "We've had a very good time today. The weather's been beautiful and we've been shown some interesting places."
"I think Belfast has made astonishing leaps and bounds in terms of its culture, when you look at places like the Odyssey."
Politicians were united in their belief that Belfast could win the bid.
Speaking at the Engine Rooms Gallery in east Belfast, PUP MLA David Irvine said: "Yes I think we'll win. It will be a great opportunity for us to create common purpose and common allegiance because so often we don't do things together, we do things separately."
At Conway Mill, Sinn Fein's Gerry Adam's said: "I think that we're in with a shout. It's a matter of the bid having the capacity to empower people here to make it a shared city and confront all the social ills that exist here."
About the team
This story was produced by Raymond Lawley, 16, and Sheena Hall, Leanne Cunningham and Micheal Leathem, 15. It was published in the News Letter in Northern Ireland.
