Diversity parade 'shows east Belfast is a changed place'

East Belfast was awash with colour and sound on Saturday afternoon as dozens of people marched the length of the Cregagh Road to celebrate its diverse community.

The parade and inaugural carnival, organised by Community Together, saw locals connect at an integrated primary school in an effort to showcase the area as a welcoming place.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said the event "sends out a message that east Belfast is a changed place".

"It is a welcoming place, it is an open place and there are lots of people in the community who support and are welcoming of that change," Long told BBC News NI.

Formed in November 2023, Community Together aim to "really highlight and celebrate the diversity of the Cregagh and Woodstock Road", according to secretary Kellie Turtle.

"We are a big diverse community, all of us together, the richness of that diversity is what makes it such a great place," she said.

Following a recent spate of anti-immigration violence across Belfast, Ms Turtle said it is important to "speak up and send those messages" of support.

She said while it is "very important that there is leadership", the "real work that needs to be done" is at a community level.

"Giving people practical support, checking in on your neighbours... because a lot of people feel very nervous and anxious right now," she added.

Cregagh Road locals Elspeth and John Thompson attended the event with their son and daughter as diversity is "quite important to us because we are a mixed race family", Elspeth said.

"I was quite scared by the stuff that happened in August," she said.

"I'm aware that there's people coming into the country who are being poorly welcomed, it's causing tensions in different communities and I would really love if people could see the benefit to welcoming people from other cultures, integration is the way forward."

Mrs Thompson thinks that some people who choose to engage in anti-immigration violence may "feel they aren't being listened to".

"They're worried about things... sometimes you don't meet people from other cultures, there are legitimate fears because they don't know what's going to happen or change... it's good to have an open conversation about it in a more neutral environment," she added.

John, who moved to Belfast from London several years ago, said the event sends a "welcoming message".

"It's been reasonably well attended for the area... it's representative of what we have in east Belfast, lots of different cultures and people of diverse parts of the community," he said.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said she attended the event with her husband, Belfast City councillor Michael Long, to "show a lot of support about what's going on in the community".

"It's a really changing area," she explained.

"I think opportunities for people to integrate and be a part of it, to get to know their neighbours, and to just celebrate the diversity in this area is such a positive thing.

"Particularly over the past number of months there's been such tension around these issues, it's good to see people doing something positive that's community-led."

East Belfast, Long added, "can be a home for everyone" and "needs to be a place where everybody feels safe and welcome".

'Highlights your neighbours'

Patrick Kelly from Ballinasloe in County Galway said he came to the event to support a "good cause".

He said, for those from diverse backgrounds, the carnival "let's you know you're seen, you're accepted".

Mr Kelly has been living in the area for five or six years, and said that, before moving to east Belfast, he had not "heard great things".

"But it's like anywhere else, there's a huge great mix of people from all walks of life," he said.

"I think [today's event] highlights your neighbours that you might not be aware of, it highlights the diversity, lets you know who's about and paves the way for events like this in the future."

'Let's enjoy it for what it is'

Bobbie and Amy told BBC News NI that the parade and carnival sent a strong message of change.

"We're great supporters of the fact our community is changing so quickly and so rapidly, it's becoming more diverse and it's lovely to see," Bobbie said.

It is "so important" to celebrate culture, Amy said, adding that she believes "inclusivity is the key for everyone living in harmony".

"It's also really great that the Belfast 2024 money has gone into things like this as well," Amy said.

"There were events like Little Amal ... but it's lovely to see smaller community events like this happening and hopefully they continue."

For those with anti-migrant attitudes, Bobbie said people need to be "a bit more educated" and "take people as you find them".

"Whether you like it or not change is happening, so suck it up, and become the people that we know that you are," she said.

"I know what your problem might be and that is that you don't like change, but change is here and there is nothing you can do, you can't turn back the clock, so embrace it, let's enjoy it for what it is."

"Humans are humans, we're all the same, we all have a heart, we all have a brain, just embrace it... it doesn't matter what colour of skin you have, everybody should be living in the same environment and enjoy it," Amy added.