17 Jul 2018

Corrymeela will be delivering an exciting programme of community engagement events across Belfast that focus on marking the ‘decade of anniversaries’. The programme, ‘Belfast and the World 1918–1921’ is being delivered on behalf of Belfast City Council as part of their PEACE IV Plan, which is funded by the European Union and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

The programme will deliver a range of activities to mark significant centenaries over the period 2018‐2021. Those participating will be able to share their experiences of the past, explore and reflect on events that have shaped our present and develop a greater understanding of Belfast’s diverse cultural heritage. The programme seeks to build positive relationships across Belfast, in particular with people from more marginalised communities. Whilst the past can be divisive, the programme enables participants to ethically explore areas of both commonality and difference and engage with multiple perspectives. In 2018 we will be especially focused on the anniversaries of the 1918 General Election, Women’s Suffrage and the end of World War l. However, as all these events are inter–related, the programme will provide an overview of all the significant events of the decade.

This year’s programme will run from September – December. There will be a number of sessions exploring commemoration, events from the decade outlined above and field trips around Belfast and Dublin. A Project Reference group is supporting the design and the delivery of the project and we will formally launch the programme September 2018 with a special event.

Councillor Dr. John Kyle, Chair of Belfast City Council’s Shared City Partnership commented

We are delighted that Corrymeela will be supporting the Council in delivering peace programmes to our communities. The programme helps us all learn about our rich shared history here in Belfast and helps us find the common ground which will foster good relations for the future. It will also build upon the Council’s very successful Decade of Centenaries programme up to 2021.

The programme will be delivered with two cohorts of 25 people each year across 5–6 months, with events taking place on evenings and weekends. If you or your community group would like to be involved, there must be a commitment to attend a minimum of 33 hours of participation. In line with the requirements of the programme, all events will be cross community in nature. There is no cost to engage in activities thanks to the PEACE IV programme.

Addressing the past and issues of commemoration are a core focus of Corrymeela’s ‘Legacies of Conflict’ programme. Programme Manager with Corrymeela, Sean Pettis stated, 

We look forward to proactively engaging with communities around Belfast on themes that are important not just in the past, but in the present. Understanding our past is a crucial part of building a peaceful present and future. This PEACE IV project programme will enable us to build on our existing work in schools and communities, in particular complementing our ‘Facing our History, Shaping the Future’ project.

Information will be regularly updated on our dedicated project page www.corrymeela.org/belfast which will be live from the beginning of August 2018. If you are interested in taking part in the programme or require more information contact Sean Pettis, Programme Manager –Legacies of Conflict via email seanpettis@corrymeela.org

This programme is part of the Belfast City Council PEACE IV Plan, which is funded by the European Union and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. For more information visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/peaceiv