Leadership Academy: Engaging with Communities at Risk

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By India Fahy

The Leadership Academy has been developed by the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building and the Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool. It shares the knowledge and experience of conflict and conflict transformation in Northern Ireland and beyond, and its relation to dissent and risk in contemporary British society.

The first session, ‘Engaging with Communities at Risk’, took place on 26th January. At the heart of the focus of the session was an examination of the role and impact of leadership in public service. I left the session feeling enlightened and with a revived interest in the study of Northern Ireland.

I had never before even considered the role played by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in creating a peaceful and fair society. Jennifer Hawthorne, Head of Communities for the NIHE, led a fascinating session on ‘Building Peace through Housing’, giving an overview of the work that the HE is involved in within interface communities and some of the hardest hit areas of NI. The work carried out by the Community Cohesion team is focused on building better relations, ensuring that communities are safe and welcome to all, and strengthening cohesive communities.

One specific element of the projects carried out resonated with me, it seemed clear that the emphasis of the projects is placed on a careful process and impact, rather than tokenistic sentiments. The re-imaging programme works directly with communities, ensuring that they are fully involved from the project’s inception, giving a real sense of ownership and pride from the outset. Emotive examples have included new artwork featuring images close to the communities’ heart, such as a Mandela anti-racism mural created in Woodbourne.

Professor Shirlow made another interesting observation, about the fact that we often forget that there is a peace process worthy of study and consideration right on our doorstep. He highlighted that many conflict theorists are guilty of looking to former conflict regions further afield, such as the former Yugoslavia, before considering Northern Ireland. After the session I had a conversation with another WIP alum which shed further light on this matter, in-fact she had travelled to Yugoslavia with a view to studying the peace process there. As a resident of the Republic of Ireland she had never considered that a peace process worthy of study existed just across the border. 

These were just two lessons that I took away from the dynamic and comprehensive Leadership Academy session led by Professor Peter Shirlow, Debbie Waters and Jennifer Hawthorne. It is just this type of realisation that is the very purpose of the Academy itself, the Academy is intended to raise awareness and understanding, and capture the experiences of the many processes at work in Northern Ireland’s ongoing peace process. I came away from the session with a refreshed interest in such matters and a desire to expand my knowledge further.

The next session ‘Hate Crime and Community Policing’ on 23rd February will look at the evidence on hate crime and its impact on community/policing relationships and the policies adopted to challenge the reproduction of hate crime and its destabilising effect.

University of Liverpool’s London Campus on Tuesday 23rd February 2016 at 2.30pm

Sign up here: www.getinvited.to/cdpb/leadership/

First EU Debate NI event launched in Belfast City Hall

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The first EU Debate NI event was launched in Belfast City Hall by Deputy Lord Mayor Alderman Guy Spence on Friday, 5 February. It brought together representatives from across business, public and community sectors to discuss the issues that need to be considered in Northern Ireland in relation to the upcoming UK referendum on continued EU membership.

EU Debate NI is a programme of the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building (CDPB). CDPB are taking a neutral position in this debate, seeking to stimulate and inform debate on the issues in this referendum.

Conor Houston, Programme Director at CDPB commented following the event that “it was a lively, engaging and interactive event. We had round table discussions together with interactive polling allowed for diverse opinions and a range of views to be debated – including issues around trade, cross-border, immigration, effect on peace-funding and many other topics.”

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Amplifying voices of respect and tolerance across Northern Ireland

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Author: Nick Pickles

Every day, Twitter is used to promote social change, challenge viewpoints and discuss the most pressing issues facing communities across the globe.

As a public platform, our users’ power to challenge prejudice and division is a very real phenomenon, as recognised in a study from academics Orna Young and Paul Reilly, commissioned by the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council. They found that “social media provided a ‘safe space’ or distance for individuals and groups to express their views on what may be viewed as emotive issues.” The authors describe the importance of creating opportunities to hear alternative viewpoints and positions that may not be available ‘offline’.

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This is why we work directly with NGOs across the UK, training hundreds of community groups and activists on how to make the most of Twitter as platform for amplification. These groups are committed to challenging prejudice and discrimination, building stronger communities and calling out those that seek to create division.

Last week in Belfast we took this philosophy one step further.

Working alongside our partners in the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building (@CDPB_NI) and the Washington Ireland Program (@WIPLive), we asked what campaigns need to be created, what ideas have not been discussed and what more can be done to ensure that the loudest voices belong to those who want a peaceful and tolerant future in Northern Ireland.

https://blog.twitter.com/2016/amplifying-voices-of-respect-and-tolerance-across-northern-ireland

 

Professor Heenan joins CDPB’s Board of Directors

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We are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Deirdre Heenan to the Board of Directors of the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building. Professor Heenan is joining Lord Alderdice, Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldosn MP and Liam Maskey.

Professor Deirdre Heenan was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Communication) and Provost (Coleraine & Magee) as of 1 September 2012.

A distinguished researcher, author and broadcaster, she is a member of the Institute for Research in Social Sciences and has published widely on healthcare, education policy, social care and devolution. She is a co-founder and former co-director of the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey.

In 2001 she was the recipient of a Distinguished Teaching Award and this was followed by a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy in 2006. In 2008 she secured an ESRC fellowship and spent nine months as policy adviser in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

In 2011 she was appointed by the health minister to join a five strong panel of experts to oversee a radical review of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. In 2013 she was commissioned by The Kings Fund to write a piece on Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland as part of a comparative review on Integration.  Together with her colleague Professor Derek Birrell she has just been contracted by MacMillan to write a book on Integration of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland.

In 2012 she was appointed to the Irish President’s Council of State as one of the seven personal nominees of President Michael D Higgins.

She is a director of ILEX, the Derry~Londonderry urban regeneration company and a school governor on the Board of Foyle College.

Professor Heenan has responsibility for corporate and institutional communications together with public affairs (including the Media & Corporate Relations team). As campus Provost for Coleraine and Magee, she also has responsibility for oversight of the general affairs of each campus including: service standards, pastoral care of students and staff, interaction with the wider community and for the Riverside Theatre.

At the invitation of Ivan Lewis, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Deirdre Co-Chaired the Heenan-Anderson Independent Commission into the Northern Ireland economy.  She is a Board member of the British Irish Association. Since its formation in 1972, it has made a significant contribution to the progress made in Northern Ireland over the past decades and it continues to set the agenda on how to build on that achievement.

She is a member of the Working Group on Higher Education in the 30% Club.  This group focuses on diversity in universities and higher education establishments.

BE THE CHANGE: Creative Workshop with Twitter | 21 January

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The Centre for Democracy and Peace Building in partnership with Twitter (UK) invite you to the

BE THE CHANGE creative workshop

on 21 January 2016 from 2pm to 6pm

at the MAC Belfast, St. Anne’s Square, Belfast

to develop an online campaign to address social issues and drive positive change in Northern Ireland

To register go to www.getinvited.to/cdpb/twitter

PROGRAMME

2pm – 2.15pm:
Introduction by Nick Pickles, Head of Policy, Twitter (UK)

2.15pm – 3pm:
Ideas Session

3pm – 3.30pm:
Presentations and Initial Selection

3.30pm – 3.45pm:
Coffee Break

3.45pm – 5.30pm:
Campaign Development

5.30pm – 6pm:
Presentations and Final Selection

6pm:
Pizza, Drinks and Networking

be-the-change-workshop

The strongest campaign ideas will be developed further with support from the CDPB and Twitter (UK).

CDPB and the Institute for Irish Studies launch the Leadership Academy series in London

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The Centre for Democracy and Peace Building (CDPB) and The Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool, in partnership with the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict, at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, are launching a series of lectures to share the knowledge and experience of conflict and conflict transformation in Northern Ireland and beyond and its relation to dissent and risk in contemporary British society.

The lectures bring together leading academics and practitioners to impart expertise and experiences that are relevant to policy makers, communities at risk and politicians in Great Britain.

There will 6, three-hour sessions, monthly between January and June, each featuring academic and policy presentations, responses from practitioners and workshops.All sessions will be held at the University of Liverpool’s London Campus (33 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AG).

Particular emphasis will be upon conflict transformation, social justice, challenging ethnic asperity and analysis of the causes of violent extremism and how it can be undermined by progressive social change and thinking.

Programme

  • 26 January 2016: Engaging with Communities at Risk
  • 23 February 2016: Hate Crime and Community Policing
  • 23 March 2016: Social Media as a Driver of Conflict/Conflict Transformation
  • 26 April 2016: Understanding and Countering Violent Extremism
  • 25 May 2016: Challenging Conflict: Including Women
  • 28 June 2016: Conflict and Culture

 

Speakers include Lord Alderdice, HE Dan Mulhall, Irish Ambassador to Britain, Professor Peter Shirlow, Blair Chair and Director, The Institute of Irish Studies, Jennifer Hawthorne, NI Housing Executive, Debbie Watters, Northern Ireland Alternatives and Vice Chair NI Policing Board, ACC Stephen Martin, PSNI, Paul Giannasi, Cross-Governmental Hate Crime Programme, Professor Deirdre Heenan, Ulster University, Nick Pickles, Twitter UK, Glenn Patterson and others.

To register please go to www.getinvited.to/cdpb/leadership

Speech at Queen’s University Belfast to mark the 20th Anniversary of the visit of President Bill Clinton to Belfast

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Speech at Queen’s University Belfast to mark the 20th Anniversary of the visit of President Bill Clinton to Belfast

7.12.15

Great Hall, QUB

President Clinton is someone who continues to greatly inspire me  – from his Presidency through to his work at the Clinton Foundation.

Like myself, he was a recovering lawyer and then dedicated himself to inspiring change around the world.  He embodies any definition of leadership and service to humanity.  He took up the President John F Kennedy mantra of asking us all to do what we can for the betterment of our world. 

I continue to work on realising my potential and purpose through my work as a peace builder at the Centre for Democracy & Peace Building and in my social entrepreneurial work with Young Influencers.

Young Influencers created a vision 2030 – “that by 2030 NI will be one of the greatest places in the world to live, work, create and visit.”

20 years from now will be 2035.  I will be almost the age that President Clinton was when he first came to Northern Ireland. 

So tonight, I thought it would be more appropriate to consider what someone who is 20 might say of the Northern Ireland we have created by then.

Well as chance would have it, I do know someone who will be 20 in 2035, my 3-month-old nephew Ollie.

I imagined the letter that Ollie might write to President Clinton on the cusp of his 90th birthday to thank him for the 2035 Northern Ireland in which he now lives.

So here it is, Ollie’s letter to President Clinton dated 30th November 2035:

“Dear President Clinton

I hope this letter finds you and Mrs President Clinton well.

It is hard to believe that 40 years have passed since your historic first visit to Northern Ireland – the first of any U.S. President to my home.

My great-grandfather Bernard, who I am told was a proud Derry man, used to say: “20 years is a long time looking forward, but nothing looking back.”  Being 20 I know what he means! And I’m sure Mr President you truly understand it!

I wasn’t born the first time you came to Belfast in November 1995 to light the Christmas tree for peace.  My uncle Conor has told me that he remembers that night vividly.  At that time he was growing up in Surrey, England.  And that it was that very night as they watched images from Belfast on TV that my granny & grandad told him, my uncle Stephen and my mum that they were moving back home to live in Northern Ireland.

They came home to a place where “peace came dropping slow”.  But it is a place they love and the place they still call home. 

Belfast today in 2035 is an incredible place.

The old ways of ‘labelling’ and seeing difference as a threat are definitely a relic of the past.  We proudly celebrate the British, Irish and Northern Irish of our entwined identities and the many other cultures and identities that make up our 2035 Northern Ireland.

This pride means Northern Ireland is now a driving force on these islands.  Our politicians, business and civic leaders set the agenda on both the UK and Irish stage.  The Prime Minister of the UK is of course a proud Derry man and the new Taoiseach is from just outside Ballymena.  We understand our role as global citizens.

Stormont re-opened as the ‘Rory McIlroy Golf Club’ and our politicians now sit in the stunning ‘People’s Assembly’ designed by young designers from across Northern Ireland in the dynamic Titanic Quarter.

As you know, all our political parties came together during the ‘decade of centenaries’ to create a ‘Vision 2030’ to build a legacy rooted firmly in our young people and the future.  And working together they have achieved that vision.

At the heart of the Vision 2030 were the 3 C’s: compassion, co-operation and collaboration. 

The principle of compassion ensures that we are compassionate in our approach to each other and we used it to reframe all our conversation, discourse and debate.  We are now a citizen lead society and this has assisted in making us one of the ‘equality centres of excellence’ in the world.

It has made us a people at peace with ourselves.  We have learned to be a lot more gentle on ourselves and each other. 

The principle of collaboration resulted in our reputation amongst economists as the ‘Hong Kong of Europe’ for our ability to act as a hub for international inward investment into the UK, ROI and European markets.  We are also the launch pad for start-ups, innovators, entrepreneurs and creators. 

Our schools, colleges and universities work in tandem with business, commerce and emerging technologies to ensure we maintain the most highly skilled, educated and knowledge based work force in Europe. This of course is lead by Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University – leading the world in research, innovation and ideas. 

I have benefited from a world class education – which focused on developing the potential of each child and their creative,technological, artistic, innovative and intellectual abilities.  As a result I have secured an apprenticeship with Elon Musk’s SpaceX project which is opening its ‘Mars Coordination Centre’  in Northern Ireland next year, to manage the one million people who are now living there, as he promised back in 2015.

We’ve utilised our proud NI diaspora around the world who are our brilliant  Ambassadors in every continent on earth. 

And that’s where the third principle of co-operation has really come to help. We have used our economic prosperity to develop world-class infrastructure.  Apparently it used to take two and half hours to travel from Belfast to Dublin, now it takes an hour.  It’s also hard to believe that just 20 years ago the motorway from Belfast to Letterkenny via Derry didn’t exist!

As you know, the island of Ireland now generates all of its electricity through renewable energy harnessing the wind and tide from the Atlantic. 

Our relationship with the U.S. is one of the great examples of co-operation – economically, socially and culturally.  We also had a great Fourth of July Party this year to celebrate 240 years of the U.S. Consulate in Belfast.  My uncle Conor assures me that the parties there were always legendary and that the Consul-General’s for Northern Ireland were always the elite of the U.S. State Department!

Of course it would be remiss of me not to mention our continued sporting prowess – Ireland winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup on home soil was one of the best days of my childhood, The U.S. haven’t won the Ryder Cup in my lifetime mostly thanks to Rory and the entire ‘Team Europe’ who come from NI!  And is there a boxer in the world rankings who isn’t from here?!  They epitomise how we proudly punch above our weight.

So our Vision 2030, our principles of compassion, collaboration and co-operation make this a great, welcoming place to live, work, create & visit and one of the most dynamic and innovative countries in our 21st Century world.

On that cold night in Belfast 40 years ago you helped our people believe in themselves. Believe that they had a better future.  Thank you for giving us the gift of hope.  Our home is your home.  Thank you  for all you have done for us, Mr President, and for helping to make the place I call home, well, home.

Yours truly

Ollie

Ps – good luck to Chelsea in the 2036 Presidential election!

An Invisible Tribe: Improving our relationships and public discourse

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Remarks by Eva Grosman (CEO, Centre for Democracy and Peace Building), Europa Hotel Belfast, 27 November 201relationships5.

Eva was speaking having been presented an inaugural ‘Spirit of WIP’ Award at the WIP Ball by WIP Alumna and Junior Minister, OFMdFM, Emma Pengelly MLA.

An Invisible Tribe: Improving our  and public discourse

Almost every day of my working week I interact with ministers, MLAs, business and civic leaders and other remarkable individuals, who took part in the Washington Ireland Program.

WIP’s values are very much aligned with what I aspire to: humility, empathy, respect and integrity

Being a change agent, working among people like you, often feels like being part of an invisible tribe.

When Seamus Heaney passed away, Gary Lightbody wrote a wonderful piece to honour his hero.

He talked about Heaney as a Chieftain of an “invisible tribe” – a tribe of people that touch others on a level that beds deeper into our souls and hearts.

People of profound light, love and kindness that simply and maybe even without their knowledge make us and the world around them better. People that make us feel safer, happier, stronger, more centred and less confused.

The Washington Ireland Program is like of a boot camp for the members of the “invisible tribe” – a school of better living for the warriors of good.

I was asked to share with you and idea for brighter 2016. So, I thought why not focus on improving a quality of our relationships and quality of public discourse.

I’m sure that you all watched CSI Miami or one of the similar programmes. I’m sure that you are well aware that every human contact leaves a trace. And it goes beyond the DNA.

While encountering others we leave not only physical, but also emotional traces. Someone said that“people often forget what we said, but they never forget how we made them feel.”

In recognising qualities of good leaders, we are now moving from IQ to Emotional Intelligence and from Emotional Intelligence to a Cultural one.

Cultural Intelligence is the ability to cross divides and thrive in multiple cultures.

It is something which we continuously improve and develop. We do this through our experiences, but also with knowledge shared by other people whom we trust – and who trust us; via networks such as Washington Ireland Program.

President Clinton spoke last year at the Riddel Hall, here in Belfast about the need for new creative networks of cooperation – cooperation between public, private and community sectors.

To achieve this we need leaders who can cross boundaries and cross cultures, leaders who can communicate effectively and build diverse networks necessary to solve “wicked” problems. We need leaders who don’t just shy away from difference but gravitate towards it. Those are the leaders with Cultural Intelligence and these are the members of the invisible tribe.

Being a member of the invisible tribe it’s not only a privilege – it is also a responsibility. We have to lead with our words and our deeds.

So let’s think about the words – words are powerful – they can start arguments, even wars, and they can bring forgiveness and peace; words can hurt and words can heal.

George Orwell in “Politics and the English Language” said that “the great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When the general atmosphere is bad, language suffers.”

With elections coming up, both in the Republic of Ireland and here in Northern Ireland we have a perfect opportunity to challenge and change the quality of political discourse. Perhaps we can focus on positive agenda, positive ideas and our shared future.

On Thursday, 21 January WIP and the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building will be hosting a workshop in partnership with Twitter to develop a campaign to re-frame conversations and to challenge folly, evasions and hatred in our political and public discourse.

The project will be underpinned by a sense of hope, possibility and respect, as well as sense of a personal responsibility.

We have to be good stewards of our gifts. We have to protect our time, avoid too much noise and be ourselves and at our best as often as we can. We shouldn’t let people pull us into their storms, but we should pull them into our peace and joy.

We have to collectively be bold enough to raise standards of everyone around us, so I invite you to join us in this new project. We will need to tap into your talents, ideas and networks.

So let’s make 2016 a call to arms for the invisible tribe. Let’s work hard, play hard, do some good and hope for a “great sea-change”.

And most of all – let’s think before we speak.

Female entrepreneurs make colossal contribution to commerce – Pengelly and McCann

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Junior Ministers Emma Pengelly and Jennifer McCann today addressed an event to mark Women’s Entrepreneurship Day at the Lyric, Belfast.

The Breakfast was hosted by the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building and Ulster Bank and included students embarking on the working world, those starting up a business, established business owners, employees and stakeholders.

Speaking at the event Junior Minister Emma Pengelly said: “We have to break down the hurdles that many women encounter in bringing their talent, determination and skills to the fore for the benefit of all the citizens of Northern Ireland. Throughout history many of our key moments have been dominated by men, now is the time for women to write the future. Let us change this world for the better. We must harness our collective intelligence, passion and compassion to make positive changes that will shape this world for good. 

“I want women to step up and realise their full potential. Judging from the energy and enthusiasm of those here today I know we are well on the way to building a better future for all women in Northern Ireland.” 

Junior Minister, Jennifer McCann added: “Today’s event on Women’s Entrepreneurship Day recognises the colossal contribution women make to commerce. 

“Commerce like politics needs diversity, fresh ideas and contributions from a wide range of people. We must not frustrate or waste the talents of women; instead we must harness talent and inspire women. 

“We must all work hard to eradicate any social or economic barriers women face. If we increase the economic and social opportunities for all women we increase the collective economic potential of society.

“I thank the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building and Ulster Bank for making today’s event happen. Events like today will excite women empowering them to be confident, ambitious and our future entrepreneurs.”

The Centre for Democracy and Peace Building launches EU Debate NI

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CDPB launches EU Debate NI

Following negotiations with EU members, the British Government has committed itself to holding a referendum on the question as to whether the UK should remain a member or leave the European Union. This referendum will take place before the end of 2017.

This referendum is of huge importance to the Northern Ireland.

Given the significance of the referendum, the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building (CDPB) is launching an “EU Debate NI” programme.

The EU Debate NI will examine the potential consequences, specifically for Northern Ireland, of the UK deciding to remain in or leave the European Union. It will stimulate, through stakeholder consultation and engagement, discussion of issues that should inform the debate.

The initial consultation will draw on a briefing paper developed in partnership with academic experts from Queen’s University Belfast and University College Cork. The paper sets out questions to be considered about the consequences of the outcome of this referendum for Northern Ireland. The questions cover political and constitutional issues, key policies such as free movement and agriculture, trade and funding.

Speaking at the launch at the Great Hall, Queen’s University Belfast, Chairman of CDPB Lord Alderdice said:

“In or Out; Yes or No; whatever the result, it will arguably impact more on Northern Ireland than any other part of these islands. And yet, until now the debate in Northern Ireland has been overshadowed by other concerns. Consent is the basis of democracy and we want the decision of the people of Northern Ireland – whatever it is – to be based on ‘informed consent’. That is why we want to encourage a serious community conversation about the EU Referendum.”

David Phinnemore, Professor of European Politics and Head of the School Politics, International Studies and Philosophy at Queen’s University Belfast added:

“The EU referendum will be hugely important for Northern Ireland economically, politically, possibly even constitutionally. It raises a range of issues that simply have not featured in the wider UK debate so far and which need to be thought through, discussed and debated well in advance of citizens casting their vote to remain in or leave the EU. Today’s event is a first in stimulating that much needed discussion and debate.”

Conor Houston, CDPB Programme Director said:

“The EU Referendum is one of the most important decisions in a generation for people in Northern Ireland. The consequences of both remaining in and leaving the EU will have an impact on the daily lives of all the people here. This is why it is of vital importance that we have collective debate and it is essential that this debate is informed. We want to have an inclusive debate which engages everyone in Northern Ireland and includes our views in the UK wide debate.”

For more information please visit www.eudebateni.org.

Download EU Briefing Paper HERE