A home-grown truth and reconciliation programme addressing race relations aims to enlist 1,000 people over the next few years, Hamilton Rotary Club heard.

Hosted by Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda, the community conversations will build “a societal paradigm shift”, Curb president Lynne Winfield told the club.

Curb is also seeking an overseas academic partner to assist with data collection and research.

“Admittedly, the conversations will not all be the same, and can be tempestuous,” she said.

“But the community is at last breaking the culture of silence that has enveloped it for so many years.”

Curb’s first round of race talks wrapped up in March, with a second instalment set for this September, and three gatherings a year planned going forward.

Ms Winfield was frank on the “controversy and passion” stirred by Curb’s work — and the scepticism from some quarters of her right, as a non-born Bermudian, to comment on it.

But with largely enthusiastic comeback from the first talks, Curb hopes in time to create a “National Plan for Reconciliation — one that will be a resource for all groups and organisations”.

“We understand there are multiple world views about how racism, privilege and social injustice manifest in our society, and that our society continues to struggle with educational, philosophical, political and emotional disconnect on many levels — much of which is based on racial dynamics,” she told club members.

“Normalising the conversation” around race relations would not translate into agreement, but broaden the scope of conversation.

“For some time, Curb has understood the dire need for ongoing and regular community dialogues, and last year’s protests in March highlighted the urgency,” Ms Winfield added, referring to the immigration 2016 protests that temporarily shut down Parliament.

“There needs to be an opportunity for diverse Bermudians to meet, share experiences and dialogue about race in an environment of support, engagement and learning.

“This in turn provides the time and space to build community, allow empathy and trust to grow, and help relationships form through shared stories and experiences.”

She shared feedback from participants, with one self-described child of the 1950s saying the conversations “gave me hope and belief in change — even though I know we still have a long way to go”.

In one exercise, facilitators paired white and black participants to share experiences, with the other then recounting their story for the group.

Feedback indicated that participants “strongly” felt that relationships had been created, with a supportive environment for talk, and recommended that others take part.

“Our society has a serious and long history of injustice,” she said.

Extra volunteer facilitators have been trained to sustain the conversation. While the first steps may be seen as “symbolic, they are not lip service”. Challenged to identify the fundamental cause of racism, Ms Winfield spoke of “power, greed — the possessions that go alone with white supremacy”.

“I was brought up and educated in England. I was taught that colonialism was the best thing that happened to India and Africa, because we bought them civilisation. I understand now that it’s not true. We brought them destruction.

“In Bermuda, our whole society was built on slavery. And one thing we don’t talk about segregation. We have 217 years of slavery, and 137 years of segregation.”

One Rotarian pointed out the great social strides made since segregation, adding: “It offends me when you stand up and say we have to make more progress. Give us credit.”

Responded Ms Winfield: “You’re standing in your own truth. But we must see that next to that truth is another truth that we are not aware of.”

Saying that another of the concerns she hoped to address was economic intimidation, Ms Winfield continued: “I’m not saying there hasn’t been tremendous progress.

“But we must also understand that what we want for our future is not here yet.”