Reconciliation

 This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of reconciliation and Julien writes:

Our trip showed us pain, trauma and suffering on all those who had to endure this war.

We were given tasks to do and asked to do a ‘scavenger hunt’ to find certain buildings and statues and learn the meaning behind them. This told us about the history of Dunkerque and key individuals in its past and allowed us not only to learn about history but visit it.

We also visited an exhibition in a museum in Dunkerque where a man shared his heritage and what happened to his grandparents during the war. I had to translate what he shared with us as he was French, and because of that he managed to reconcile something with us because it was so important to him. After that, there was a parade and the “Little Ships Flotilla” which included boats sailing across Dunkerque with music to remember operation Dynamo which was an important moment in the war.

We also went into a symposium where the delegates of cities in other countries spoke together, and despite their differences this showed how those countries managed to reconcile with each other. 

School ambassadors and teachers with Oceane Guillon, French Project Leader for International Partnerships