Macra na Feirme launches Know Your Neighbour Weekend
Miriam O’Callaghan Current Affairs Broadcaster with RTE launched the 2010 Know Your Neighbour campaign. Miriam facilitated a panel discussion which addressed the question ‘Neighbours – who cares?’ The general consensus was that Irish people do care about their neighbours but must turn this care into action. The Know Your Neighbour initiative should be seen as a launch pad to start being supportive neighbours and called on people to say hello to their neighbours, citing the slogan, ‘Don’t walk by, say Hi!.
‘Know Your Neighbour Weekend’, runs for the fifth year on the weekend of July 24th to 25th 2010. This is a nationwide initiative aimed at encouraging people to interact more with their neighbours by asking them to organise or attend a ‘Know Your Neighbour’ event in their community. Typically neighbours have organised picnics, barbeques, parties, fun days and a variety of other social get togethers.
Macra’s National President, Michael Gowing said ‘The “Know Your Neighbour Weekend” is the perfect opportunity for us to turn our caring thoughts into actions. The simple gesture of saying hello and being friendly to neighbours can, over time, result in much stronger and more supportive communities. Therefore, this year our slogan is ‘Don’t walk by, say Hi!’
Padraig McManus, ESB’s CEO, representing the sponsors said “We at ESB are extremely proud of our association with Macra na Feirme and the 5th Know Your Neighbour Weekend.
As our country and our communities face unprecedented challenges, it is important now more than ever to get active about knowing our neighbours”
Macra na Feirme has teamed up with The Wheel, the umbrella body for community and voluntary organisations with the intention of getting many more groups participating in the ‘Know Your Neighbour’ initiative. Information on ‘Know Your Neighbour’ is available at www.knowyourneighbour.ie.
