“Skin-coloured pencils” project kicks off on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The Presidency of the Regional Government, through the Regional Directorate for the Communities, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, marked on March 21, with the launch of “Skin-coloured pencils,” an initiative aimed at the basic education school community, starting with the islands of Pico and Faial.
This project aims to promote interculturality and encourage respect for cultural diversity, through sessions, to be held in a school context in the months of March and April. It will contribute to the deconstruction of stereotypes among young people, such as the paradigm of skin-coloured pencils.
The Madalena Basic Education School, located on Pico Island, will host the opening session of the celebrations of this International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at 9:30 am, followed by another two sessions scheduled for 11 am and 2 pm.
The following day, the presentations will continue in the municipality of Madalena, at the Bandeiras Elementary School and Kindergarten at 9.30 am, Candelária Elementary School and Kindergarten at 11 am and São Mateus Elementary School and Kindergarten at 1:30 pm.
On March 23, the students of São Roque do Pico Secondary School will attend three sessions scheduled for 9:30 am, 11 am and 2 pm. The following day, Friday, the initiative reaches the students of Lajes do Pico Basic Education and Secondary School and Ribeiras Elementary School and Kindergarten in the morning, starting at 9:30 am, and the last session is scheduled for 2 pm at the Ponta da Ilha Basic Education School and Kindergarten, located in the parish of Piedade.
The following month, on April 26, the “Skin-coloured Pencils” programme will begin on the island of Faial, at the João José da Graça Public Library and Regional Archive, in a session aimed at students of Flamengos Elementary School and Kindergarten, Pedro Miguel Elementary School and Kindergarten and Cedros Elementary School and Kindergarten. Two further sessions are scheduled for the same day at António José de Ávila Basic Education School and Kindergarten at 11 am and 2 pm.
The last presentation will take place on April 27 at the João José da Graça Public Library and Regional Archive for students of Capelo e Praia do Norte Elementary School and Kindergarten, Castelo Branco Elementary School and Kindergarten, Feteira Elementary School and Kindergarten and Pasteleiro Elementary School and Kindergarten. Also on this day, the programme will reach the Vista Alegre Elementary School and Kindergarten, Matriz Elementary School and Kindergarten and Conceição Elementary School and Kindergarten. The initiative ends at Manuel de Arriaga Secondary School, with a session scheduled for 2 pm.
At the end of each presentation, there will be a symbolic gift, consisting of a set of 12 skin-coloured pencils, to all schools involved in this project. It is estimated that this initiative will involve the participation of more than 800 basic education students (4th, 6th and 9th grades) on the islands of Pico and Faial. There are plans to extend this programme to the other islands of the archipelago.
Established by the United Nations, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is celebrated annually on March 21 in memory of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre in Johannesburg, South Africa.
