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e-mail:
news@metroeireann.com
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Metro Eireann is Ireland’s first
and only monthly multicultural newspaper set up by two Nigerian
journalists, Chinedu Onyejelem and Abel Ugba in April 2000.
Published by Metro Publishing and Consultancy
Limited, metro eireann is the primary source of news and
information on Ireland’s fast-growing immigrant and ethnic communities.
Apart from supplying up-to-date news and analysis,
metro eireann has become a forum for inter-cultural communication,
showcasing the rich cultural diversity of Ireland.
In a world where there is:
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Massive transnational migration of people.
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Globalisation of commercial life with consequent
political, social and ecological impact.
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Injustice, war and poverty in vast areas of the world.
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A much clearer perception of the deep interdependencies
that exist among all nations.
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Information and communications technologies now
facilitate universal distribution of information/knowledge – but have
also thrown up the digital divide.
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Racial prejudice and discrimination exist in all
communities
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New individual and community identities are emerging from
the cross-cultural encounters.
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Distinctive cultures strive for self-preservation and
vitality in the face of trends towards cultural homogenisation.
And closer to home, in Ireland, where...
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There has been a decade of unprecedented economic growth
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Many social problems and infrastructural deficits present
great challenges
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After centuries of emigration from Ireland to the four
corners of the earth we are now seeing immigration of people to Ireland
from many different countries, in a sudden and dramatic way.
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The response to this dramatic change has ranged from fear
and hostility to openness and a search for the most enlightened way to
cope.
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There are major gaps in the educational, legal,
administrative and other infrastructural arrangements to cope with the
increase in the number of new peoples.
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The leaders of every sector of Irish society – Church,
State, Business, Trade Unions, Sport, and the Arts have espoused a
vision of Ireland as a multicultural society, playing its role on the
global stage.
A Great National
Challenge:
In this turbulent world the
creation of a vibrant multicultural society represents a huge challenge
and defines a great national project for the peoples of Ireland – old and
new.
If the vision of a
multicultural Ireland is ever to be realised, practical initiatives are
needed to facilitate the vital engagement and dialogue.
Specifically it is imperative
that the power of mass-media be harnessed so that the efforts to create a
multicultural society move in from the margins – where it lies at present
– to the mainstream and involves everyone.)
Identity:
We at Metro Eireann are a group
of people –
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With diverse national backgrounds and life experiences.
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Who have personally experienced both the best and the
worst of Ireland’s response to immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.
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Who are experienced in journalism, education and the
media and
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Who, in a short time and with minimal resources have
demonstrated our ability to publish a newspaper that has been hailed by
well-regarded critics as an original, high-quality contribution to
Ireland at this time of transition towards a multicultural society.
OUR
MISSION:
The Mission
of metro eireann is to be a channel through which the diverse peoples of
Ireland will inform, challenge, understand and learn to respect each
other.
Strategies:
We will fulfill our mission through:
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A range of publications including a high-quality,
mass-circulation newspaper.
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Promoting the organisation of debates, conferences and
seminars.
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Providing training in multicultural understanding in
schools, colleges, private, public and
government establishments, language training and interpreting such as
language.
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Celebrating outstanding contributions to creating
cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.
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Promoting cultural understanding through the Arts,
Entertainment and Sport.
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