Issue 2 - Community Foundation for Northern Ireland

ISSUE 02
CONTENTS
See page 6
From Prison to Peace –
Frequently asked questions
Spirit of ’98 continues
Teaching young people
lessons of the past
Stepping from prisons into
peace
‘Good’ experiences with
political ex- prisoners
Irish government minister
takes Tigers’ Bay tour
Seminar highlights Policing
and Community Safety
Accessing Academia
Government helps political
ex-prisoner engagement
Planning ahead at Coiste
Coiste’s successful Youth
summer camp
Social economy on the
agenda in Lisburn visit
Epic North Ulster residential
at Derrynoid
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06
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10
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Building cohesion, sharing
and integration
As the From Prison to Peace
Partnership prepares for its major
conference in early November,
another public consultation deadline
will have slipped past.
It remains to be seen whether
OFMDFM’s Programme for Cohesion,
Sharing and Integration will provide
the future we all aspire to, but
hopefully interested groups will
have given it fair wind through the
consultation process.
in this Partnership highlight a path
that should be taken by all.
It was inconceivable to think an Irish
Minister would tour a Loyalist area
of north Belfast in the 1970’s or
80’s.
Nowadays, barely a murmur rises
among the chattering classes and
pundits when this takes place,
proved by Micháel Martin’s recent
visit to Tigers’ Bay pictured above.
Bilbao visit examines past
and present
Helping provide an avenue of
understanding
Acting locally, thinking
globally!
10
11
12
No matter the activities of
government, the From Prison to Peace
Partnership continues to engage in
positive peace-building and active
citizenship work.
Inside these pages, an array of activity
shows just how far our society has
travelled.
Although we could all go further, the
STEPS taken by the groups involved
Against a backdrop of increasing,
sporadic violence, the Partnership’s
work becomes even more crucial.
Peace should not simply be the end
of the latest phase of the so-called
‘Troubles’. Instead, it should be the
total transformation of our society.
Partnership groups are taking risks
for peace – risks everyone in our
society must continue to take.

From Prison
to Peace –
Frequently
asked
questions
What is the From Prison to Peace
Partnership?
From Prison to Peace is a partnership
funded under the European Union’s
Peace III Measures. It combines local,
political ex-prisoners support groups
to work between 2009-2011 on key
issues for this community of interest.
The Partnership is administrated by the
Community Foundation for Northern
Ireland.
Who is involved?
The key support organizations from
the five main groups identified with the
conflict here are represented on the
Partnership. These groups include the
Provisional IRA, the Official IRA, the
INLA, the UVF and UDA.
Who are the key political ex-prisoner
support groups?
• Coiste na Iarchimi is the umbrella
organization for support groups for
Provisional IRA political ex-prisoners.
• An Eochair represents political exprisoners
from the Official IRA.
• Teach na Failte represent political exprisoners
from the INLA/IRSP.
• Epic and The Hubb represent political
ex-prisoners from the UVF.
• UDA ex-political prisoners are
represented by Charter for Northern
Ireland, Prisoners in Partnership,
Belfast South Community
Resources, North Belfast
Community and Transition Group
and Lisburn Prisoners Support
Project.
What is the Partnership intended to do?
Work across three key themes:
• Conflict transformation and peace
building
• Youth development and citizenship
• Promoting social change
Spirit of ’98 continues
Members of the Prison to Peace
Partnership have completed a tour of
sites connected to the 1798 uprising.
Conducted by guide Phillip Orr, a
descendant of rising leader William
Orr, the tour took in sites around
Belfast, including Clifton Street
Cemetery where United Irishmen
like William Drennan and Henry Joy
McCracken are buried and Mac Airt’s
Fort, at the summit of Ben Madigan.
Sites connected with the Battle of
Antrim were also visited, as well as
the gravesides of Jemmy Hope at
2
Templepatrick and William
Orr at Mallusk.
Members of each of the
groups in the Partnership
attended and it proved so
successful that another
trip was arranged, this time
to visit sites of historical
interest in Co. Wexford.
40 representatives
took part in the delegation
organized by Teach Na
Failte, including 20 young
people.
Delegates take part in 1798 tour

Teaching
young people
lessons of
the past
Education Minister Caitriona Ruane with Community Foundation Chair Tony
McCusker and Queen’s University’s Lesley McEvoy
Political ex-prisoners are helping
young people learn lessons from our
troubled past through a new learning
pack for schools.
From Prison to Peace – Learning
from the experiences of political-ex
prisoners, has been produced with the
help of Lesley McEvoy from the School
of Education at Queen’s University,
Belfast.
Developed as a resource for Local and
Global Citizenship at Key Stage 4, the
pack was
launched
at a special
event at the
Northern
Ireland
Council for
Voluntary
Action
(NICVA) on
June 4.
Education Minister
Caitriona Ruane
Former political prisoners working
as part of the From Prison to Peace
– Building on Experience Partnership
helped develop the pack.
Minister for Education, Caitriona
Ruane MLA, was on hand to launch
the programme.
The Office of the First and Deputy
First Minister for Northern Ireland
also work on issues relating to the
role of political ex-prisoners and
Bruce Robinson, Head of the Northern
Ireland Civil Service, provided a
foreword for the pack, as did the
former Methodist President, the Rev.
Harold Good, who witnessed the
decommissioning of IRA weapons.
Lesley Mc Evoy said; “As a resource
for local schools, this special pack
will be of use to teachers working to
encourage active citizenship.
“While its content is challenging, we
know from experience that young
people are keen to explore these
issues.
“The activities are split into three
sections based on the narratives of a
number of political ex-prisoners, and
cover three key themes; Becoming
involved in the conflict, Understanding
the prison experience and Contributing
to Conflict Transformation and
Community Development.
“Some of our young people remain
involved in activities detrimental
to their communities and this is a
way to engage them in community
development and conflict
transformation, including issues like
interface violence.
“All the former political prisoners
groups involved in this project support
the peace process and want to share
their experiences with young people
to demystify romantic or ill-informed
notions of conflict and the prison
experience.
“We’re delighted the Minister for
Education attended to hear how this
resource can help reduce community
tension and build a future for our
young people free from the stresses
of the past.”
Margaret McTeggart, the Community
Foundation for Northern Ireland’s
Community Support Officer for
Peace III projects, said; “Initiatives
like this are incredibly positive
and can leave a lasting impact on
the young people benefiting from
interaction with the former political
prisoners.
“A DVD production accompanies
the pack to illustrate the personal
nature of conflict and the
contributors will no doubt strike
a personal
chord with
participants.
“Our thanks
as always
go to the
European
Union, whose
Peace III
Programme Coiste’s Danny Murphy
has
funded the Prison to Peace
Partnership Building on Experience
Partnership.”
From Prison to Peace – Learning
from the experiences of politicalex
prisoners will be rolled out to
schools over the next academic year.
Youth clubs and providers will also
be targeted to spread the impact of
the scheme.
3

Stepping from prisons into peace
Former enemies met in March at a
special conference at the Mount Errigal
Hotel in Letterkenny.
Entitled What Difference – now and
post 2011? the conference brought
together former politically-motivated
prisoners from the UDA, UVF, Official
IRA Provisional IRA and the INLA.
The groups involved consolidated
conflict-transformation work, in which
they’ve been collectively engaged over
the last few years,
The From Prison to Peace Partnership
has gone from strength to strength,
with participant groups embedding
the peace process within their
constituencies and building new
relationships within and between
communities, north and south of the
border.
Over the past 18 months, this work has
focussed on conflict transformation,
active citizenship and social change
leadership.
The trust and confidence-building
measures inherent to the programme
have also played a significant role in the
recent decisions by the UDA, INLA and
Official IRA to put weapons beyond use.
As well as furthering the work of the
former-prisoner network, the Mount
Errigal conference launched this
magazine Steps – From Prison to
Peace, highlighting positive activities
undertaken by the Partnership.
Speaking on behalf of delegates, Adie
Bird of Lisburn Prisoners’ Support
Project, said; “All the groups involved
in the Prison to Peace Partnership are
dedicated to finding new pathways to
engagement, creating a stable and
settled atmosphere in communities
across Northern Ireland.
Delegates at the Letterkenny conference
“Conferences like these are important
milestones in that process.
“They allow us to focus on important
issues in a neutral environment and
tap into skills and resources from other
experts that inform our decision making
and future planning.
“Despite our differences, we have much
in common.
“Away from the political structures at
Stormont, everyone has a part to play
in creating a better Northern Ireland
and former political prisoners have a
Peace on the agenda
vital role in sharing experiences so we
never go back to the past.”
The What Difference – now and post
2011? conference saw participation
from many figures well known in the
field of peace making.
Panel discussion participants
included the Rev. Harold Good,
who witnessed the historic IRA
decommissioning process, Derry
journalist and civil rights activist
Eamonn McCann and former prison
governor, William McKee.
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‘Good’ experiences with political
ex-prisoners
Rev. Harold Good is a former President
of the Methodist Church in Ireland
and witnessed the completion of
IRA decommissioning. A recent
participant at the From Prison to Peace
conference in Donegal, Rev. Good
outlines his positive experiences of
engaging with political ex-prisoners.
For those of us who lived through
these turbulent years of political
turmoil, violence and counterviolence,
it can be difficult to remain
objective in our judgements of people
and events.
This is why those of us serious about
building a lasting peace need to take
advantage of every opportunity to
engage with those who have been
held responsible for much of what
took place during our troubled
years, from whatever side they may
have come.
This is how I found myself at a
residential conference organised by
the From Prison to Peace Partnership.
Any anxiety I may have had about
how I might be perceived by the
participants, soon proved to be
entirely groundless.
The welcome was warm and genuine,
irrespective of the background of the
person with the outstretched hand.
In one sense, it was an unlikely
grouping that filled the lobby with
good humour, but we were there for
serious business - a common quest
with a shared commitment to put the
past where it belonged.
The fact that amongst us were names
and faces of those well known for
their part in our recent history clearly
added to the significance and value of
the event.
Here, we were able to converse WITH
each other, rather than ABOUT each
other!
As we listened to presentations
representing a spectrum of views
there was total respect, even when
there was no agreement.
In smaller discussion groups, had
I not previously known some of the
participants, I would have been hardput
to identify the organisation or
party from which they came.
What mattered was not the
justification of any past event or the
defence of one’s own position, but
what together could be achieved for
the future,
For example, those from totally
different political and
paramilitary backgrounds
discussing how best
they could ‘manage’
the volatile inter-face
situation in their local
area, particularly during
the up-coming marching
season.
For me, it was not without
significance that this was
one of
the potential ‘flash-points’
where there was no
reported trouble this year,
but, as ever, this wasn’t
deemed newsworthy!
I came away from this
event wishing it could
Rev. Harold Good
have been broadcast to the world, but
for obvious reasons this would have
been neither possible nor wise.
This was the kind of conversation that
can only take place in an atmosphere
of trust, away from the glare of
publicity and out of the reach of
those who would try to undermine or
exploit the value of what was taking
place.
Still, I could not help contrasting
this experience with conversations
I have overheard in other places,
between those who have not been
involved in nor directly touched by the
violence of the past - let alone been in
Maghaberry, ‘the Crum’ or the Maze !
Of course, I do understand from
where they too are coming, but it is
time for all of us to break free from
‘prisons’ of different kinds so that,
together, we will be fee to build a
lasting peace.
5

Irish government minister
takes Tigers’ Bay tour
Artist Ross Wilson (left) with the Irish Foreign Minister
It’s not everyday an Irish government
Minister gets to pound the pavement
of a Loyalist area, but that’s exactly
what happened recently when Micháel
Martin came to Belfast.
Accompanied by a delegation from
the International Fund for Ireland, the
Irish Foreign Minister heard first hand
about the issues affecting the Tigers’
Bay community in the north of the city.
Organsied and facilitated by
Groundwork NI, a guided tour of the
‘Bay’ was conducted by the North
Belfast Community Development &
Transition Group, after a tour of the
nearby New Lodge community.
Various key issues were highlighted,
including the re-imaging project,
which created extensive consultation
workshops, resulting in the removal of
UDA associated murals in the area.
Artist Ross Wilson gave an insight into
the work with young people from Currie
Primary School and Mountcollyer
Youth Club, who designed new murals
giving a positive and vibrant community
identity to inspire new aspirations.
Various important issues were
highlighted,
including policing/
community safety
partnerships, anti drug
campaigns, housing
and regeneration
initiatives and interface
engagement projects.
The Minister was
impressed to hear
Leanne Marshall from
the North Belfast
Community and
Development Transition
Group outline the
Minister Martin takes in Tigers’ Bay
community led regeneration strategy
to address difficulties in the area
traditionally blighted by conflict,
marginalisation and disconnection
from wider society.
John Howcroft and Sam Cochrane
outlined ongoing interface work,
relating how building both personal
and organisational relationships
have developed trust and common
visions, leading to new partnerships
between the business, community and
statutory sectors, which has created
an ‘enabling’ environment.
One particular event highlighted by
John and Sam brought 250 residents
from adjacent communities together.
After the tour of Tigers’ Bay, a
range of community leaders, church
representatives and statutory partners
met at Groundwork NI to analyze
progress and new challenges, with
John Bunting providing a strategic
overview of the work of the North
Belfast Community and Development
Transition Group and the obstacles
remaining in building a community
based on social justice for all.
6

Accessing Academia
Seminar
highlights
Policing and
Community
Safety
Queen’s University
A recent meeting took place between
members of the Prison to Peace
Partnership and key academics at
Queen’s University, Belfast.
Organised by the Office of the First and
Deputy First Minister, the constructive
meeting allowed academics across
several faculties to meet with political
ex-prisoners in a joint capacity to
discuss areas of mutual interest.
Linsey Farrell, who heads OFMDFM’s
ex-political prisoner Communications
Sub Group stressed it was important
to get quality information on research
to help inform current activities and
campaigns.
Dr. Peter Shirlow, from the Queen’s
University School of Law, Chaired
the meeting, which also included
academics from the schools of Social
Sciences and Criminology.
A trawling exercise is under way to
collate the various pieces of research
on the issues affecting ex-political
prisoners and their families over two
decades.
These items will then be placed
in a reserved section in the Henry
Collection at Queen’s Library, to aid
other researchers pursuing related
issues.
Lord Alderdice and Alison White, from the
Independent Monitoring Commission at the
seminar.
Community Foundation Director
Avila Kilmurray chaired a special
North Belfast Community
Development and Transition Group
seminar in September.
Focusing on continuing work
in partnerships with the wider
community, the event highlighted the
considerable progress and diversity
of work conducted with a wide range
of stakeholders.
Organised around the theme of
Policing and Community Safety,
key personnel from specific
organizations detailed the impact
their work was having on the wider
community.
A large amount of time was also
given over to questions and answers
and direct feedback.
Attendees included statutory
agencies, government
representatives and other
community groups, all of whom
felt they gained greater insight
into the work of the North Belfast
Community Development and
Transition Group.
7

Stormont
Government helps political
ex-prisoner engagement
At Stormont, the Office of the First
and Deputy First Ministers has taken
responsibility for examining issues
regarding political ex-prisoners.
Some years ago, the Ex-Prisoners
Working Group was established
to consider barriers facing people
with conflict-related convictions in
accessing employment, facilities,
goods and services.
This group was instrumental in
the production of the Employers’
Guidance on Recruiting People with
Conflict-Related Convictions, issued
in May 2007, prior to the restoration of
devolution.
Meeting on a quarterly basis,
employment continues to be a
priority area for the group but the
need to engage with wider society by
communicating positive messages on
the contributions of ex-prisoners has
also emerged as a key priority.
In recognition of the importance of
effective communication, a subgroup
of the Ex-Prisoners Working Group
has been established to focus on
developing information materials
to communicate with external
stakeholder groups.
The Information & Communication
subgroup draws membership from
An Eochair, Charter NI, Coiste, EPIC,
Teach na Failte, and Community
Foundation for NI, and has agreed
the following core objectives:
Developing information resources
that clearly outline key issues
impacting on people with conflictrelated
convictions and their
families;
Identifying key audiences and their
related information needs;
Developing a communication plan
that sets out steps for engagement
with wider stakeholders.
An information paper has been
developed, along with a presentation,
for use in engaging with wider
stakeholders, while the subgroup
recently held its first information
session for staff in the Equality
Commission NI.
This event was widely judged to have
been very successful in publicising
positive contributions made by exprisoners,
while raising awareness of
the barriers they can face in relation
to employment and other issues.
Academia has also been a focus,
with a recent meeting at Queen’s
University Belfast was very productive,
helping crystallize research on
relevant issues.
In June of this year a reception was
held for Public Sector Employers on
the issue of recruitment of people
with conflict-related convictions.
Constructive meetings have also
taken place in recent months with
the Association of British Insurers, as
well as representatives from Allianz
and Zurich.
In the upcoming period, the subgroup
intends to hold discussions with
other key stakeholders in order to
identify any opportunities to promote
more positive messages about the
contribution of ex-prisoners to wider
society.
8

Planning
ahead at
Coiste
A special residential was held recently
for the 13 projects in the Coiste
network.
Examining issues around Peace III
funding from 2011 onward, the two
day event was very well attended, with
all groups participating in workshop
settings.
Guest speakers at the event included
David Clarke from the Special European
Programmes Body, who outlined his
organization’s vision for the future
funding of the sector.
Pictured recently at the Coiste na nIarchimí planning residential are Cormac McAleer
(Community Foundation), Kevin Mulgrew (Coiste Vice Chair), Michael Culbert (Coiste Director),
Bairbre De Brúin, (MEP), Frankie Gallagher, Charter and David Clarke (SEUPB)
Cormac McAleer from the Community
Foundation for Northern Ireland spoke of
his organisations long term relationship
with Coiste and of the Foundation’s
perspective on the continuation of that
relationship.
Charter’s Frankie Gallagher reflected on
the long-term, active working between
his group and Coiste in the arenas of
youth work and general peace building.
Finally, Member of the European
Parliament Baibre DeBrúin gave
an in-depth perspective on the EU,
opportunities for funding and the
gradual slow down of EU funds for the
such projects in the future.
Coiste’s successful Youth summer camp
A very successful two-day Coiste Youth
Summer Camp was recently held at
the Clinton Centre in Enniskillen, Co
Fermanagh.
Young people from across Ireland attended
the two-day seminar and workshops.
The first seminar was facilitated by Joe
Doherty, whose presentation was based
around the history of imprisonment, from
Internment to the H Block protests.
Joe also touched on the educational and
self-development strategies within the
prison and the discussion documents
around political developments, including
the peace strategy and understanding of
diversity.
The Northern Ireland Children’s Commissioner at Coiste’s youth summer camp.
Lively questions and answers sessions
followed each of the presentations.
Next, Children’s Commissioner Patricia
Lewsley gave a detailed breakdown of local
policy and strategies, taking into account
young people affected by the conflict,
including the children of former political
prisoners.
Coiste Director Michael Culbert followed
up by presenting Coiste’s strategies on
family support and counselling.
He highlighted the long-term,
psychological nature of parent/child
relationships and the need for research
and investment for families suffering
from conflict related trauma.
Danny Murphy introduced the Left in
Limbo document and went through the
many interviews with political ex
prisoners’ family members which
highlighted the stresses and strains on
family relationships.
Ms Lewsley recognized the traumatic
experiences of the children of political
prisoners and political ex-prisoners and
acknowledged the findings of the Left in
Limbo document.
Danny Murphy reminded the Children’s
Commissioner of the launch of the
Prison to Peace educational package for
schools and urged her to support the
programme.
9

Epic North Ulster
residential at Derrynoid
Truth recovery was an issue which
prompted debate as the group looked
at examples from South Africa and
the work of the Historical Enquiries
Team in recent years was examined.
There was even a suggestion that
there should be a museum here to
help us deal with our troubled past.
Delegates talk conflict transformation at Derrynoid conference
Draperstown hosted an important
recent seminar between Epic North
Ulster and Teach Na Failte.
Aimed at dissecting major issues
facing communities in the North West,
the event followed a similar initiative
held last December.
Facilitated externally by Michael
Doherty and Shirley Bruce, who
have a track record in peace and
reconciliation work, part of the
discussion focused on parading,
with case studies presented on actual
events.
Innovative uses of role plays allowed
delegates to get an in-depth feel for
the issue of parades, while bottom up
approaches to dealing with the past
were also touched on.
Policing and justice, the economy and
the Review of Public Administration were
dealt with, as was the Comprehensive
Spending Review, the Stormont Assembly,
power sharing and devolved government.
After an examination of the Bloody
Sunday enquiry, there was an
opportunity for questions and
feedback which proved very valuable.
Delegates felt that myths were
dispelled and that much common
ground existed on social and
economic issues.
Plans are underway for a third
session, to be held at the Boyne
Visitors Centre and locations in
Dublin, to examine key events in
Ireland dating back centuries.
An atmosphere of respect,
understanding and trust has been
fostered and hopefully future events
will prove equally successful.
Social economy on the
agenda in Lisburn visit
An Eochair, the support group for
former Official republican prisoners,
has received an insight into social
economy projects in Lisburn.
On a recent visit, representatives from
the group toured the Old Warren estate
in the company of Aidie Bird and Collin
Halliday from the Lisburn Prisoners
Support Project.
Touring the social economy projects,
An Eochair’s delegation was keen
to examine issues around building
successful social economy schemes,
like set-up costs and operating
problems.
Touring social economy projects
The July visit was considered very
worthwhile.
10

Unions provide an ‘avenue of understanding’
This public educational process is as
important as the other processes which
surround us all.
Part of that process is STEPS magazine
and the varied initiatives outlined in its
pages.
Ex-political prisoners and trade union representatives putting issues on the agenda at the
EU, with Peter Bunting (centre, white shirt)
Peter Bunting is Assistant General
Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade
Unions and a long-time advocate on
the issues of political ex-prisoners.
Here, he gives his own views on
the importance of an ‘avenue of
understanding’ to those beyond the
political ex-prisoner community.
In France, when an offender commits and
is found guilty of a particularly heinous
crime, not only are they imprisoned, but
there is an added layer to punishment.
They are stripped of their French
citizenship.
This means more than being deprived
of the right to vote, it means not being
able to call themselves ‘French’. They
are outcasts, forever marked as different
from tribe, nation, community, even
family.
There is no pardon or remission. They are
permanently excluded.
Other societies have less formal, yet
effective forms of exclusion. It is common
in most states for serving prisoners to
have no right to vote.
In more punitive states, rights like the
franchise are withdrawn forever from
those who have paid their ‘debt to
society’, long after their release.
In this region of Europe, ex-prisoners are a
constant ‘hot topic’ for debate. The problem
is the terms of the debate are usually rigged,
depending on who is speaking.
The communities where most ex-prisoners
grew up and live tend to be the most
understanding of the challenges facing men
and women released from prison.
Communities where few of their sons and
daughters ‘did time’ tend to be the most
unforgiving.
Most public discussions about justice,
conditions, restorative justice and other
alternatives tend also to be dominated by
people from the latter communities.
Those are the also communities which
tend to be pandered to by those seeking
elected office.
The biggest reason why this difference
prevails is human contact. People who ring
radio talk shows and moan about prisons
being like ‘holiday camps’ are unlikely to
have seen the inside of one, let alone the
bleak, grey and unwelcoming facilities
provided for families visiting inmates at
Maghaberry or the H-Blocks and cages of a
generation ago.
However ignorant such people may seem
to the friends and families of ex-prisoners,
they should be reached out to and educated.
We in the trade union movement play
our part by engaging with political
ex-prisoners and those others who
disapprove of ex-political prisoners.
Many of our members and activists in
the trade union movement have friends
and family who have been in prison,
while some of our best activists have
been behind bars at some stage.
This is not surprising when it is
considered around 30,000 people were
imprisoned directly due to the political
situation of our troubled decades.
The backbone of the trade union
movement is comprised of the same
communities from which most of the
combatants emerged – those which
also had the greatest numbers of
victims in the conflict
We strive to provide an avenue of
understanding along which traffic
moves both ways, but the destination
ought to be the same - a society in
which social and political exclusion is
excluded.
A shared society, where petty barriers
preventing the full integration of
ex-prisoners are lifted and where the
prison experience stands as both an
examination of our history and a lesson
to future generations to avoid, can be
built.
I commend this project of
understanding and outreach and look
forward to the continued work of the
fine initiatives outlined and promoted in
the pages of STEPS.
11

Acting locally,
thinking
globally!
Gerard Foster from Teach na Failte
outlines his organisation’s international
relations with groups affected by
conflict from around the world.
For a number of years, Teach
Na Failte has been involved in
international projects with groups
from conflict and post conflict
countries.
These groups include, among others,
Afghans, Indonesians, Philippinos
and Africans.
Middle Eastern groups have
also been involved, including the
Combatants for Peace and the
Parent Circle Families Forum, both
made up of people from Israel and
Palestine.
Former and still serving military
personnel from both the Israeli
Defence Forces (IDF) and the
Palestinian Liberation Organisation
(PLO) are involved with Combatants
for Peace – each believes violence is
not the way to solve the problems in
their region.
Teach Na Failte has met this group
a number of times in Ireland, while I
have met them in the Middle East.
Support from the Irish Ambassador
to Israel allowed me to attend the
Jerusalem Film Festival to speak
about our work in Ireland and Teach
na Failte will also speak at the
International Combatants for Peace
conference in Italy this October.
The Parent Circle Families Forum is
a group of people, again from both
Palestine and Israel, who have lost
loved ones in that conflict.
Teach Na Failte first met this group
about two years ago and has continued
the relationship since.
Three days of workshops also
took place in August, in which I
participated.
Held in a village called Neve
Shalom (Hebrew) Wahat al-Salam
(Arabic), the only place in the
Middle East where the population is
of 50% Israeli and 50% Palestinian,
the sessions were invaluable.
Time was spent in the West Bank
where I met with the widows and
children of Palestinian soldiers
killed in the conflict, as well as
international trauma groups who
work on a world wide basis.
Also in August, Teach Na Failte met
with members of the Parent Circle
in Belfast when we were invited to
an exhibition of cartoon art on the
Middle East conflict.
This workshop was organised by
Community Dialogue and we met
and debated the work we are doing
and how we can face difficulties in
future.
Initiatives like this can be very
emotional, though worthwhile and
we are learning from each others’
experiences.
Teach Na Failte looks forward to the
future with confidence as we work
with these, and other international,
groups in a very difficult arena.
Our thanks are extended to the Irish
Peace Centres, especially Glencree,
for their input into these events,
facilitator Maurice Healy and also
Alistair Little.
This project is part-financed by the European Union’s
European Regional Development Fund through the EU
Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE III)
managed by the Special EU Body.
FURTHER
INFORMATION
The Community Foundation for
Northern Ireland
T 028 9024 5927
E info@communityfoundationni.org
www.communityfoundation.org
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