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NEWS • VIEWS • INFORMATION • ADVICE





Celebrating Cultural Diversity in the United Kingdom



Children and young people are once again being challenged to harness their creative skills and demonstrate what cultural diversity means to them as the NASUWT launches its Arts & Minds competition 2012.



Using artwork and creative writing, pupils are asked to explore what diversity, identity and equality mean to them and how they are reflected in their lives, families, schools and communities.



The competition has been designed to enable teachers to incorporate its themes into various areas of the curriculum, including English, citizenship, humanities and history.



The competition is open to pupils in primary, secondary and special schools across the UK and winners will be invited to an awards ceremony in London on 9 October to receive prizes which include:



• £1,000 for the overall winning school;

• £350 for all finalist schools;

• gift vouchers worth up to £100 for winning pupils;

• overnight accommodation at a deluxe London hotel and appropriate travel and subsistence for winning pupils, their parent or guardian and a teacher;

• a visit to a top London attraction.



In addition to the main prizes, the Anne Frank Poetry Award will also be presented to the best entry inspired by the life and writing of Anne Frank.



CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES – 2 JULY



For an entry form and more details about the competition, visit www.nasuwt.org.uk/ArtsandMinds





Iraqi teachers build hope



A free and democratic trade union movement is slowly building in Iraq, thanks to the dedication of members of the Iraqi Teachers Union (ITU) and support from the NASUWT.



Trade unions faced severe repression during the rule of Saddam Hussein, who introduced draconian anti-trade union laws and sequestered union funds.



Since the fall of Saddam, trade unionists have been fighting to create a democratic and independent labour movement, despite continued challenges from the authorities.



The NASUWT has been helping colleagues from the ITU in their struggle to establish an independent union to represent the interests of teachers in Iraq, and the President of the ITU was able to attend the NASUWT’s recent Annual Conference to bring an appeal for continued solidarity and support to members.



Mohsin Ali Nsaif, ITU President, was joined at the Conference by Ahmed Jassam and Abdullah Muhsin. Mr Nsaif has survived three assassination attempts by government forces opposed to his trade union activities.



Mr Nsaif said: “A government democratically elected by the people is standing against the ITU but we want a true democracy. The government wants to control the ITU as it was under Saddam Hussein.



(Photo of Mohsin Ali Nsaif, Ahmed Jassam and Abdullah Muhsin)



“We are standing here because we were elected. The government will not recognise this. The Iraqi government has frozen the central assets of the Iraqi Teachers Union and the council of ministers sacked me as the President as if I was an employee of the state.”



Mr Nsaif thanked the NASUWT for its support and solidarity which has led to the establishment of a nationwide training programme, in collaboration with Education International (EI), for teacher trade unionists.



The aim of the training, which has now reached over 300 union members, is to help empower teachers to stand up for their rights through gaining a greater understanding of the trade union movement.



Of particular success is the number of women who have attended the training. At least a third of participants in most courses have been women and this has risen to more than half in some areas. As a result, more women are becoming active within the ITU, with some becoming local branch representatives and the acceptance of the key role women play within the trade union movement is growing.



The NASUWT has pledged to continue to support the ITU and its training programme in the hope of encouraging more teachers to become active. While the ITU is still vulnerable as a result of government pressure, its growing independence and resolve to fight for democracy and the rights of teachers signals a hopeful future.



"The Iraqi Government will not recognise elected representatives"



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