Race, Religion and Intergroup Cohesion (RRIC) Workshop conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) for Year 5 Josephians as part of Racial Harmony Commemorations

How can we identify the various types of racism in society and more importantly, what are the knowledge and skills we will need to navigate diversity with sensitivity? Our Year 5 Josephians recently had a unique opportunity as a cohort, to attend the Race, Religion and Intergroup Cohesion (RRIC) workshop, conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). The IPS is an independent think tank and autonomous research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. The RRIC workshops are curated for specific groups with the aim of engaging various segments of society in order to increase awareness, knowledge and impart skills to deepen understanding between groups and communities.

One of the highlights of the RRIC workshop for the Year 5 cohort included conducting a poll based on scenarios. The results of the poll revealed that perceptions of what constitutes racism differ among individuals and even among their own peers in Year 5. Nicholas Pramono (LE507), President of the Student Council and who participated in the RRIC workshop, felt that ‘the results of the poll made me think more deeply about what is considered racist, offensive and hurtful. These can in fact differ among individuals and groups, and it means we should always be mindful in the ways we engage with one another. What we may consider amusing or funny may become a source of anger or pain for others.’

The RRIC workshop also incorporated a forum theatre segment to deepen the engagement and demonstrated LIVE that often, situations can be very complex and not entirely easy to navigate. Pappu Krishiv (LE506) volunteered to participate in this segment and described how, ‘in situations where people may pass racist remarks, it can be difficult to come up with a response that is constructive and helpful. We may be quick to react because we are emotional and upset. The forum theatre segment made me realise that while it can be challenging to respond to situations constructively and meaningfully, we should still do our best and put in the effort to try.’

We are grateful to the IPS and the team of facilitators of the RRIC workshop lead by Dr. Mathew Mathews, Head of the IPS Social Lab and himself an alumni of our school, for conducting this workshop for the benefit of our Year 5 Josephians. We hope they are inspired and will use some of their takeaways to put together Advocacy Projects to promote harmony in our diverse society!