Nearly 600 voices call to “finish the job” on delivering peace and reconciliation at Peace Summit
On Friday 3 March, Ulster University’s Derry~Londonderry Magee Campus hosted a Peace Summit led by the John and Pat Hume Foundation and Community Dialogue to reflect on the progress of peace and reconciliation since 1998, and to discuss what steps still need to be taken to finish the job.
The summit comes after months of engagement with peacebuilders, local communities and young people across the island of Ireland who were tasked with reflecting on what still needs to be done to deliver peace and reconciliation 25 years after the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.
Working with partners including Glencree Centre for Peace & Reconciliation, YouthAction NI, Holywell Trust, Ulster University’s International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE) and the Integrated Education Fund, the summit considered four themes:
- Political Progress
- Participation and civic engagement
- Cohesion and sharing
- Issues not addressed in the Agreement
Attendees discussed the consultation document and agreed on calls to action that seek to finish the job of peace and reconciliation.
Speaking in advance of the summit, Professor Brandon Hamber from Ulster University said:
“As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday agreement, the Peace Summit is an important and timely opportunity to take stock of the unfinished business of peace.
“Political developments in the past week make peace and reconciliation all the more urgent, and give pause to the fact that neither peace, nor political agreements, should be viewed as an “event”.
“Peace and reconciliation is an ongoing process that needs support, investment and recognition; it is the foundation of creating a better society, and should be central to government policy rather than an add-on.
“This project engaged with people far and wide, seeking out voices that often go unheard in political discourse, and many who may often feel disconnected from the political process.
“We will ensure that these voices are heard loud and clear by decision makers, and that the next generation of peacemakers are supported to finish the job of peace and reconciliation.”
Louise Malone, YouthAction NI, said:
“Two of the key issues emerging from this project are the challenges for political leadership and the fragility of the institutions, as well as the perception of many people that their voice and their interests are not adequately addressed by their political representatives.
“The disconnect was most acutely felt amongst young people, many of whom expressed frustration at what they described as the prioritisation of “green and orange” politics.
“As one contributor put it: “I wouldn’t say that we don’t care – I would say that we don’t care in the same way that our parents care.”
“This cuts to the heart of what the Peace Summit is about; understanding the journey we have travelled, but respecting the fact that we are not at the destination, and that to get there, we may need to adjust our approach.”
The Secretary of the John and Pat Hume Foundation, Tim Attwood, said:
“John and Pat Hume dedicated their lives to ending violence and building a peace based on partnership, dialogue and respect for diversity, and these were the foundations upon which the historic agreement of 1998 was built.
“The last 25 years have brought relative peace, and we should never take this for granted. The Peace Summit will take a stock check on the unfinished business of peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, recognise the achievements and produce important recommendations for the way forward for the next 25 years.”
Dympna McGlade from Community Dialogue said:
“Peace builders have played a key role in keeping the peace in communities not only over the past 25 years, but over the last 50 years. People engaged in
discussions want to build on the many years of hard work and the massive investment in the peace process.
Reconciliation was not an event. The agreement was not only the end of the political process but the beginning of a new opportunity.
While we have come a long way, there remains significant commitments yet to be resolved. It’s time for government to finish the job.”
