Lord Alderdice: entrench the Principles of the GFA in the EU Withdraw Bill
Our Chairman Lord Alderdice, together with Chris Patten (Conservative), Angela Smith (Labour) and Onora O’Neill (Cross-Bench) put down an amendment to the Bill to entrench the Principles of the Good Friday Agreement. Here is why Lord Alderdice felt it was necessary –
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill
21 March 2018 Volume 790
House of Lords, Committee (9th Day)
Lord Alderdice (LD): My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Patten of Barnes, not only for the passionate and articulate way in which he introduced the debate on this group of amendments—particularly Amendment 261—but also for the lifetime of commitment that he has given to the issues of Northern Ireland. That length of commitment speaks a great deal to me, as someone from that part of the United Kingdom. Read more
CDPB to host TEDxStormont Salon on Inspired Life
Come to share, experience and interact with stimulating ideas for an inspired life.
At our first TEDxStormont Salon event we will watch TED Talks, host a few live speakers and spark discussion about the talks we’ve witnessed. It will take place on Saturday, 7 April from 10am to 3.30pm in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont.
We will draw on our wisdom and our limitless imagination and consider the synergy of the mind, body and spirit. We will explore how to live in a more harmonious and sustainable way.
We will close with a yoga inspired practice for Every Body curated by Dr Elizabeth Welty, educator and Flow Studio founder.
Music Unite: A night of music and friendship
Centre for Democracy and Peace Building was delighted to host Music Unite event in The Duncairn as a part of Imagine Belfast Festival of Politics and Ideas. The event brought together Patrick Ayrton – internationally renowned conductor, harpsichordist, organist and professor at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and celebrated German violinist Daniela Helm with Cormeen Rising Sons of William flute band for a very special night of music and friendship.
The evening included an amazing performance by Frasier Hickland, a 19-year-old pianist and organist from Lisburn and fascinating talk by the award-winning author Clare Mulley about Krystyna Skarbek, Britain’s first female special agent during WWII.
We also celebrated the success of ‘For Your Freedom and Ours’ shared history programme with Maciek Bator.
This project is supported by the Executive Office’s Together Building United Community programme.
Read our Music Unite report HERE.
Tina McKenzie appointed to the CDPB Board of Directors
We are absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Tina McKenzie to the CDPB Board of Directors.
Welcoming the appointment, CDPB Chairman Lord Alderdice said: “Tina McKenzie is an extraordinary individual, who has already been a huge success in business, but has never lost her heart for the community and her wish to make a contribution to making things better for the next generation. Tina has already given enormous help and support to CDPB as a Special Advisor and it will be a pleasure and a privilege to work with her in this new and expanded role.”
Tina McKenzie is an award-winning Managing Director with over 20 years’ experience in the Recruitment and Employment Services sector within Northern Ireland, GB and international markets. Her experience spans a variety of business verticals including professional services, agri-food and logistics. Having worked internationally providing HR and recruitment consultancy for the world’s largest companies, Tina’s key expertise is in building global employment investment strategies and best people practices.
She returned to her native Northern Ireland in 2013 and today leads all Staffline Group companies in Ireland, including Northern Ireland’s largest recruitment company Diamond Recruitment and leading employment support and justice services provider PeoplePlus NI. Under Tina’s direction Staffline Group in Ireland has grown from a standing start to a turnover of over £60m in less than three years, earning the company UTV/Business Eye’s award for Fast Growth Business of the Year in 2015. This tremendous success also led to Tina securing the Outstanding Leadership & Management Award from Women in Business that same year.
A graduate from Ulster University in Coleraine, Tina is a member of several professional groups including the Chief Executives’ Club at Queen’s University, Women in Business NI, Confederation of British Industry, and the Institute of Directors.
She is currently the NI Director for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, the governing body of the recruitment industry. Tina is a recognised voice for building a new and prosperous Northern Ireland for all and is passionate about helping people gain skills while creating more local opportunities for economic growth.
In 2017 Tina has been appointed as the Honorary Consul for Finland in Northern Ireland.
CDPB to mark the 20th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in 2018
British Council in association with the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building will host a conference to mark the 20th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in April 2018. It will convene policy makers and peace practitioners from around the world to share reflections and case studies on building effective, inclusive and sustainable peace.
The series of plenary sessions, workshops, site visits and cultural events will create an open, inclusive and safe space for international dialogue to reflect upon the experience of the peace processes across the globe. The events will build on the Northern Ireland experience of and expertise in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. By marking the achievement of the multi-track work that led to the signing of the Agreement, the conference will provide opportunities for international dialogue to reflect on the experience of everyday peacebuilding.
The conference will also reflect on the contribution of partners such as the EU and the USA, as well as the role of Ireland and citizens across the island of Ireland in the achievement and continuation of peace.
The British Council will draw on its global network to bring practitioners, academics and policy makers to Northern Ireland to share lessons learnt from the different approaches in South Africa, Lebanon, Colombia and the Western Balkans. Bringing together political leaders, academics and community activists from around the world, we aim to engage a global audience in this vital dialogue, inspire innovative thinking and practice, and activate a new generation of peacebuilders globally.
Peace and Beyond is organised by the British Council in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, in association with the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building.
Further info on https://www.britishcouncil.org/peace-and-beyond
Lord Alderdice on Fundamentalism, Radicalization and Terrorism
Fundamentalism, Radicalization and Terrorism. Part 1: terrorism as dissolution in a complex systems
In the first of two papers, Lord Alderdice draws on his personal experience of living and working in Northern Ireland and other countries that have suffered from terrorism, and describes from a psychoanalytic and systemic perspective the history of national, cultural and political conflicts which form the backdrop to the struggles against fundamentalism, radicalization and terrorism in current times. By examining and understanding the group dynamics and collective experiences of minority populations that have suffered generations of subjugation, humiliation and injustice at the hands of others, Lord Alderdice demonstrates how terrorism is not an individual but a group phenomenon and that any successful intervention aimed at reducing fundamentalism, radicalization and terrorism needs to identify and take into account the complex relational processes and experiences in all parties involved in the current global conflict.
Read more here: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/ErV56EkqdDk4Dxz6qgSJ/full
Fundamentalism, Radicalization and Terrorism. Part 2: fundamentalism, regression and repair
Prior to the watershed events of 11 September 2001, terrorism was generally seen simply as politically motivated, criminal violence. Since then the phenomena of religious fundamentalism, political radicalization and terrorism have become fused in the public mind, partly under the influence of the political and military reaction described as the ‘War on Terror’ and its successors. While there is clearly an important overlap in the religious thinking of some fundamentalists, the radical agenda of political Islamist groups and the violent activities of those who currently use the tactics of terrorism, these are not identical phenomena, and treating everyone who falls into one of these groups as the same as all the others has exacerbated rather than improved global security. In the second of two papers based on his work with terrorist organizations and areas of the world embroiled in entrenched conflict, Lord Alderdice develops a different approach informed by psychoanalytical principles and systems and complexity theories to clarify some of the boundaries and overlapping elements of these three phenomena. This approach not only provides a more evidence-based analysis, but also permits a more reflective and constructive response to these clear and present dangers.
Read more here: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/xuzAzxF76PDNaZcVACui/full