A year in review: CDP in 2024

In 2024, the Fellowship Programme continued to thrive, highlighted by our exceptional Fellows and notable residentials in Dublin and Oxford.

In April, we proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2024 at Hillsborough Castle. Following a well-deserved break, we began the 2024/25 application process, receiving a record number of applications. In September, we launched the Class of 2025 at Stormont alongside the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Overall, this year’s two cohorts engaged with topics led by world-class experts, including entrepreneurial leadership, systems thinking, climate and sustainability, and policy and governance. They also cultivated cross-sectoral relationships, essential for ensuring Northern Ireland’s prosperous future.

The success of the Fellowship Programme would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and partners: the Department for Foreign Affairs, Irish American Partnership, Allstate NI, Camlin Group, FinTrU, Fujitsu NI, NIE Networks, and Ulster Carpets.

We are looking forward to what is in store for the 2024/25 cohort and the wider alumni network in 2025!

To discover more about the Fellowship, visit our website.

On 20 January, TEDxStormont returned to the Great Hall in Parliament Buildings. The day was a roaring success with many thought-provoking and inspiring talks on this year’s theme of Restore.

A jam-packed audience of over 175 people were treated to a diverse range of talks from experts in their field as well as musical performances. Video recordings of the talks are now available on YouTube.

In March, the CDP team were honoured to work with the John Smith Trust’s Belarusian Fellows to facilitate a trip to London and Oxford.

In March, as part of Imagine! Belfast, CDP proudly hosted the seminar, Cultural Diplomacy and the Art of Soft Power, on March 21st at the Black Box. Click here to learn more.

We teamed up with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in June to explore the theme of breathing space. Building upon IMMA’s new exhibition Take a Breath as a foundation, alongside focusing on aspects of IMMA’s Collections and Archives, attendees explored the event’s theme as well as engaging in dialogue and the sharing of practice and ideas. We are truly thankful for the support of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund and we are excited to continue our relationship with IMMA.

After the Fellowship’s Oxford residential, we were delighted to help our chairman emeritus Lord Alderdice organise this year’s CRIC conference.

CEO Eva Grosman gave a sobering yet powerful presentation on ending wars in light of what the late Polish philosopher Zygmunt Bauman described as liquid times: living in an age of uncertainty.

Congratulations to Lord Alderdice for organising another year of CRIC, a vital gathering for honest discussion and engagement.

In October, CDP were delighted to host the Agriculture, Land Use, and Climate Democracy seminar at The MAC, Belfast. The day was filled with thought-provoking discussions on the future of climate action and policy innovation.

A special thanks to all our speakers for sharing their expertise and experience. We look forward to building on these conversations to see constructive action on issues that affect us all.

We were honoured to be at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas – Angelicum in late October with Lord Alderdice to facilitate a discussion with students from the St John Paul II Institute of Culture on the role of religion and identity in conflict and peace, with special focus on Northern Ireland.

Thank you to the Institute for inviting us!

Once again, thank you to all of our partners, colleagues, and members for your support in 2024. See you in 2025!