Conor Houston to lead the EU Debate NI as Programme Director

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Conor Houston is joining the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building team as Programme Director for the “EU Debate NI”.

Conor is a lawyer, influencer, strategist, collaborator, innovator and active citizen. 

He is a graduate of the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast and obtained his masters in International Human Rights law before studying at the prestigious European Public Law Group Academy in Greece.

In his time as a lawyer he represented clients to the Supreme Court of both the UK and ROI and was involved in high profile and pioneering cases.  He also represented his profession internationally and was the first lawyer from NI to serve on the Executive Board of the European Young Bar Association, which included speaking at a forum for young lawyers at the European Parliament and representing over 36 organisations across Europe.  Conor was the youngest solicitor to be elected to serve on the Council of the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

Conor is a Fellow of the U.S. State Department Rule of Law programme and was UK National Leader in 2015 of Team UK at the Ship for World Young Leaders programme – an international leadership and cross-cultural exchange hosted by the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan.  The Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University hosted a honorary guest lecture delivered by Conor in recognition of this achievement.

Conor is passionate about youth empowerment and has been involved in the establishment of groups and programmes to promote new models of leadership including Young Leaders NI and Young Influencers.  He has spoken at a number of conferences and events, including the British Irish Association and was Event Manager at TEDxWomen hosted by CDPB at Stormont Castle in May 2015.

CDPB welcomes three exceptional WIP Class of 2015 students

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We are delighted that 3 exceptional WIP Class of 2015 students: Lucy Jones, India Fahy and Gary Cooke are joining the CDPB for the Community Service and Advocacy phase of the programme.

For the past 20 years, WIP has supported the peace and reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Identifying young people with a commitment to service and a track record of leadership, we build their skills through work experience, educational opportunity, and hands-on citizenship both at home and in the US.

Through these efforts, WIP is building the next generation of leaders that will achieve a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for Northern Ireland and Ireland.

 

LUCY JONES | UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK | LAW

Lucy is a final year law student at University College Cork, with a passion for International Law. In 2014 Lucy founded “Know Offence”, a campaign which aspires to help students affected by sexual violence. She previously interned for the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. She is passionate about access to justice and has volunteered for the American Red Cross providing legal advice for urban disaster survivors. She also travelled to Mexico City to volunteer for the refugee community centre Casa Refugiados. Lucy loves to debate. She served on the committee of the Philosophical Society and has represented her society internationally. She is currently an oralist on Ireland’s Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court team.

 

INDIA FAHY | LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS | LAW

India is a second year Law student at the London School of Economics. She is a founding member of the newly formed Integrated Education Alumni Association, aimed at promoting the importance of integrated education to the Northern Ireland peace process. She is focused on empowering young people to shape the future of Northern Ireland, having written a column entitled ‘Class Re-Act’. This culminated in her receiving an Outstanding Contribution to Public Service Award. India remains interested in regenerating Northern Ireland and has helped to organize a number of events on the subject. India also has an avid interest in human rights, having served on both the Youth Advisory Panel and Active Members Sub Committee of Amnesty International UK.

 

GARY COOKE | UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN | MECHANICAL ENGINEERING WITH BUSINESS

Gary is a master’s student studying Mechanical Engineering with Business. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for EIL Intercultural Learning and the treasurer for the Mechanical Engineering Society. Gary is a former committee member of the Literary and Historical Society, Europe’s largest student society. He contributed to the society in two different roles: Public Relations Officer for the 159th session and Schools Competitions Officer for the 157th session, for which he received the gold medal for “Outstanding Contribution to the Society”. Gary spent his third year of his undergraduate degree studying abroad in University of California, San Diego. He became actively involved in the UCSD community in his role as “Programs and Marketing Intern” within the International House, with responsibility for a number of community development programs and events.

Lord Alderdice response to the Statement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the developing crisis in the power-sharing institutions at Stormont

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Responding in the House of Lords today to the Statement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the developing crisis in the power-sharing institutions at Stormont

Lord Alderdice (LD):

My Lords, for a number of years when I was on the IMC I focused a great deal on the monitoring of paramilitary organisations. Is the Minister aware that the balance and order of things in this Statement could potentially be misleading? It focuses heavily on the question of whether t…here has been IRA activity, as though that was the real primary cause of the current crisis, when in truth this crisis has been developing for months and months over the failure of the political parties—particularly the two leading political parties—to work together in a proper governmental way. This recent event is important, but it should not be allowed to distract us from the fact that if it were magicked away tomorrow morning, the problems would remain.

Secondly, is the Minister aware that even if welfare reform were taken back to Westminster—and if it has to be so, I certainly would not oppose it—that would still leave a complete breakdown in the relationship between the Democratic Unionist Party leadership and the Sinn Fein leadership? Without a working relationship together, the devolved structures will not be able to continue, whether or not they have a problem of welfare and whether or not there is any indication of IRA activity. One must say that Sinn Fein has said the kind of things that many people wanted it to say for years on the IRA: that this was criminal activity; that people should go to the police with information; and that there was absolutely no justification. The Statement refers to “politically motivated violence”, but I have the sense that everything we know about this incident means that it was personally motivated violence rather than for the purpose of destabilising Northern Ireland.

Therefore, will the Minister take back to his colleagues who are engaged in this process that we do not need another monitoring commission or another short-term political fix but a change in the kind of relationships there are between the senior leaderships of the DUP and Sinn Fein? If not, we will be faced, as the noble Lord, Lord McAvoy, has suggested, with legislation in this place to take back powers, which would be a disaster.

Healing Memories. Healing Mind | 18 Sept | Ulster Museum | #CNB15

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Centre for Democracy and Peace Building in partnership with the Ulster Museum

invite you to

Healing Memories / Healing Mind

Eugen Koh – a psychiatrist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist from Melbourne, Australia will present his recent work with traumatised Aboriginal communities in the Central Desert of Australia.

Followed by panel discussion with Lord Alderdice, Colin Davidson and Kim Mawhinney.

Friday, 18 September 2015 from 2pm to 4pm

Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast BT9 5AB

 

Please RSVP no later than Wednesday, 16 September

to rsvp@democracyandpeace.org

 

Part of Culture Night Belfast 2015 Programme www.culturenightbelfast.com

Workshop with Nick Pickles, UK Policy Lead at Twitter | 15 Sept | NICVA

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Twitter workshop at NICVA in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building.

Tuesday, 15 September from 3pm – 4.30pm

Learn from the Twitter’s UK Policy Lead Nick Pickles on the best practices of campaigning on the platform, covering a range of creative ideas and inspirations as well as simple tips and planning tools that will help you reach more people with your messages.

The session will last roughly 90 minutes and will include a Q&A session afterwards.

As numbers are limited, this event is strictly for Voluntary and Community sector organisations with an interest in maximising their use of Twitter.

Register: http://www.nicva.org/node/3011/register

 

Lord Alderdice to speak at RISING – a new global peace forum

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RISING, a new global peace forum in Coventry, UK, is launched on Monday 17 August, with a specially filmed message to the world from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Speakers confirmed for the first annual event include Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Terry Waite CBE, and Cardinal Onaiyekan, Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria.

With the theme ‘A Hard Road to Hope’, the inaugural RISING 15 will see global statesmen, business leaders, peace advocates and members of the public meet in the city from 11 – 13 November 2015. Together they will push forward new ways of thinking about peace and conflict in our turbulent world. Tickets go on sale shortly and it expected that up to 400 people from around the world will attend.

RISING is a partnership between Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry Cathedral. Coinciding with Armistice Day and the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Coventry on 14 November 1940, it will take place in buildings surrounding the shattered ruins of the city’s medieval cathedral. Preserved as a reminder of the trauma caused by World War Two, this iconic landmark has become a potent symbol for peace and reconciliation around the world.

Speakers at RISING 15 will include:

  • Rt Hon Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and UN special envoy for Global Education.
  • Lord John Alderdice, former Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, now a Liberal Democrat in the House of Lords where he chairs Parliament’s All Party Group on Conflict Issues.
  • Terry Waite CBE, humanitarian, author and former aide of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was kidnapped and held hostage in Lebanon for 1,763 days.
  • Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, one of the world’s biggest Christian denominations with 85 million members in over 165 countries.
  • Cardinal Onaiyekan, Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria.
  • Michael Binyon OBE, Veteran foreign correspondent and leader writer for The Times.
  • Mary Harper, the BBC World Service’s Africa Editor.
  • Sam Lee, Director of Send in the Clowns, a documentary film exploring the impact of prolonged aid in Haiti as it follows a group of idealistic volunteer performers from Clowns without Borders.
  • Iman Icar, Deputy Mayor of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia and one of the world’s most divided and volatile cities.
  • Emma Sky OBE, who served in Iraq longer than any other senior military or diplomatic figure, first as the Coalition’s Governorate Coordinator for Kirkuk province and later as an adviser to the US Commanding General.
  • Richard Smith, a peacebuilder and anti-apartheid activist working with one of Africa’s leading peacebuilding organisations, the Action Support Centre.
  • Karam Hilly, an activist and community organiser from Syria working for peaceful demonstration and change. Karam was detained by the Assad regime in 2014 and fled to Turkey. He still works in Syria to keep hope alive, but at great personal risk.
  • Colonel Dr Brendan O’Shea, a Commandant in the Irish Defence Forces who has worked on international peace support operations in the Middle East, the Balkans and West Africa.

For more information please visit www.rising.org

Honoured with 2015 Prize for Freedom

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The Chairman of CDPB has been presented with the 2015 Liberal International, Prize for Freedom, by LI President, Dr Juli Minoves, at a ceremony in Zurich in June in the presence of many liberal politicians from around the world.

The annual Prize for Freedom is Liberal International’s highest recognition and has been awarded each year since 1985 to an individual who is seen as having made “an exceptional contribution to the advancement of Human Rights and Political Freedom”. 

Previous laureates of the Prize for Freedom have come from across the world and have included, Helen Suzman, Aung San Suu Kyi, President Mary Robinson, President Vaclav Havel, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Hans-Dietrich Genscher and President Corazon Aquino. The first recipient in 1985 was former Argentinian President, Raul Alfonsin for his various contributions to peace in South America.

The nomination for the 2015 Prize for Freedom came from the German Group of Liberal International which cited “Lord Alderdice’s contribution to negotiating the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland and his participation in peace missions around the world….work which continues particularly through his Directorship of the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict, based at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford”.

Eva Grosman talks TEDxStormontWomen

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NI Business Now spoke to Eva Grosman, Chief Executive of the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building, ahead of the TEDxStormontWomen event which will take place in Belfast later this month.

Describe your daily role:

By working with people in other areas of conflict we hope to contribute to rekindling momentum in the Peace Process and by linking with partners in political and civil society here, bring some fresh approaches to understanding conflict and addressing the legacy problems which still stand in the way of a stable, shared and inclusive society.

A think-tank component of the Centre’s activities is developed through collaboration with local academic institutions and with Oxford, Harvard and other universities. The Centre also promotes local initiatives and campaigns, such as ‘Unite Against Hate’ – a programme challenging prejudice and hate crime.

What is the best part of your job?

I work with fantastic individuals, who share similar values and vision of building a better future for the next generations, here in Northern Ireland and beyond. My job allows me to travel, to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures. I also enjoy the freedom, flexibility and independence.

Outside of your 9-5 you work on another project – tell me about that?

Yes, I’m an organiser and curator of TEDxStormont events. I’m a massive fan of TED. It is a great way to get inspired, to explore interesting concepts and to connect with people and ideas from across the globe.

What led you to start this?

I was also lucky enough to attend the TED Global conference few years ago and meet Chris Anderson, Head of TED and Bruno Giussani, European Director of TED. I applied for a free TEDx licence while working on Politics Plus at the Northern Ireland Assembly. I thought it would be an excellent way of becoming a part of the global conversation.

What events are in the pipeline?

I’m currently curating TEDxStormontWomen event, which is part of TEDWomen 2015 that focuses on women and women’s issues. The overall theme is “Momentum. Moving forward. Gaining speed. Building traction”. We’ll explore some bold ideas that create momentum in how we think, live and work. Our event is one of many TEDx events happening around the globe. It will include 10 live speakers/performers and we will also stream videos from TEDWomen in Monterey, California (including talks by Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter and many others). The event will take place in Stormont Castle on Friday, 29 May from 2pm to 5.30pm followed by the networking reception from 5.30pm to 7pm.

How do you manage to find the time to accomplish so much?

It is all about good time management and delegation. And of course being passionate about what you do and having fun, too.

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

One of the extra special achievements was definitely Gary Lightbody’s support for TEDxStormont. I had e-mailed him about getting involved – not only did he agree to speak at our event, he also wrote a song, which he performed with a younger generation of Northern Ireland finest musicians, including SOAK, David C Clements, Silhouette and the Wonder Villains. He then donated all proceeds from the record sales to the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Fund. Gary often speaks of the invisible tribe – organising TEDx is like bringing the invisible tribe together.

What is your goal for the year ahead?

I want to continue to spark exciting conversation, to reach out to wider audiences, to inspire future generations and attract TED Global to Belfast in the near future.

If you had to give one piece of business/life advice, what would it be?

Work hard, do some good and have fun!

Poland and its Eastern Neighbours: Foreign Policy, the EU and NATO

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Centre for Democracy and Peace Building and the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s University Belfast

invite you to a lecture

Poland and its Eastern Neighbours: Foreign Policy, the EU and NATO

by HE Witold Sobków, Ambassador of Poland to the Court of St James

on Monday, 1 June 2015 from 6.45pm to 8pm

Canada Room, Queens University Belfast, University Road, Belfast BT7 1NN

RSVP no later than Wednesday, 27 May to  r.mcgreer@qub.ac.uk

________________

Until his appointment as Ambassador of Poland to the Court of St. James’s in August 2012, Witold Sobków served as Permanent Representative of Poland to the United Nations in New York and as Political Director (CFSP). Previously, he was in the Department of Strategy and Planning of Poland’s Foreign Policy, with the rank of Titular Ambassador. In 2006 he served as Under-Secretary of State for European Affairs.

Witold Sobków was Poland’s Ambassador to Ireland from 2002 until 2006, prior to which he had been Senior Adviser to the Minister on European Affairs. In

2001 he was Director for Non-European Countries and the United Nations System, having served as Deputy Head of the West European Department since November 2000 when he came back from the UK having acted as Deputy Head of Mission at the Polish Embassy. Before joining the Ministry, Witold Sobków was for 7 years a lecturer at Warsaw University.

He is a civil servant and holds two MAs /summa cum laude/ in English language and literature, and in Italian language and literature, both from Warsaw University. He undertook various postgraduate programmes, e.g. Islamic studies at London University, security in South-East Asia at King’s College, diplomacy/economics/security/political science at Stanford University as well as national and international security at Harvard. He received scholarships to study in Siena, Venice and Perugia.

We cannot begin to tackle hate crime and bigotry without a shared vision

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A young Lithuanian woman has been left to pick up the pieces of her business – a nail bar in east Belfast – following a racially-motivated arson attack, which left the small business burnt to the ground.

This sickening attack follows on the heels of incidents in north Belfast, where Polish residents were targeted because of their race.

A few days ago, the local media reported a 43% increase in hate-related crime incidents, following the attacks on members of the Polish community; it went almost unnoticed.

During his first historic visit to Northern Ireland the then US President Bill Clinton said: “Countries are just like people with their personalities, hopes and nightmares.”

So, using his analogy, I tried to imagine Northern Ireland as a person – an insecure teenager, rather aggressive on occasions, who finds it extremely difficult to take responsibility for his own actions and is constantly blaming others. He is spoiled rotten by the rich uncles in London and an older, not rich, aunt in Dublin. He is driven, fun-loving with a great sense of humour. He even shows major potential, yet he is still unsure about his own identity, worth and future.

The question I have now is this: as a society attempting to evolve from the dark days of the Troubles into a more multi-cultural country, how can we try to mature together? We cannot begin to address hate crime, bigotry and other social problems here without a vision or a shared sense of commonality. Differences are important, but common humanity matters more.

The problem is in Northern Ireland so much is fragmented. There is so much talk about “multi-agency approach” involving strategies and action plans, but it seems that very little progress is being made. I suppose it’s part of our fledgling society which is still trying to grow up.

Perhaps we all need to take a leaf out of President Clinton’s book. He did not talk about the old, bureaucratic and mediocre networks, but a new, creative approach to leadership.

We need a new approach if we want an inclusive society here. The world is changing – and so, too, is Northern Ireland.

Together, perhaps, we can turn the immature teenager into a tolerant and responsible grown-up.