Local youth leader Brendan completes embassy project

A NORTHSIDE youth leader is hoping that a project he embarked on a few months ago will have a positive effect on the children he works with.

In April, Brendan Burke took up an appointment at Kilbarrack Coast Community Programme (KCCP) working with children and teenagers, aged eight to 18.

During the summer, Brendan told the children he would be ‘travelling’ to 56 countries in only eight days. 

“Realistically I only ‘travelled’ to all the foreign embassies located in Dublin,” said Brendan.  

“Once I stepped onto the property of said embassy I was theoretically in their country, a bit like how they do it in the movies.”

Over a period of eight days, not consecutive, Brendan knocked on the door of all 56 embassies in the capital. He got to speak to 17 ambassadors and deputy ambassadors in total.

“A lot of the ambassadors were out of the country and it wasn’t possible to get to speak to them all,” he told Northside People.   

“I received many impressive and encouraging emails from the embassies’ personal assistants and none of this would have been possible without their help. 

“The ambassadors and deputy ambassadors I met were just ordinary people but doing extraordinary jobs for their countries. 

“Some are doctors, politicians, professors and some are even seen as heroes in their country. 

“I was in awe of these people who were warm and welcoming men and women.

“They opened their lives and gave up their time to facilitate my project and share their culture with me and anybody who wants to learn about their country.” 

Brendan said he took on the project to show the children what can be achieved with a bit of imagination. 

“The children reacted very positively to the project and were very interested to learn about new countries and cultures,” he said. 

“My aim was to encourage the children to be more creative with their ideas, with the outcome of helping them change their future thinking.

“I also wanted to show them that no matter how much you get knocked back in life, never give up, but most of all never ever stop trying.” 

Brendan had his photograph taken with all of the ambassadors and deputy ambassadors he met.

“The project was proof that if you put your mind to something it can work,” he added.