CDPB report shows NI benefits from immigration

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Northern Ireland is benefiting from immigration.  A major new study published today has revealed the substantial economic and social benefits that newcomers bring to our society.

Commissioned by the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building with support from Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership and written by Professor Peter Shirlow and Dr Richard Montague at Queen’s University Belfast, the report’s key findings challenge a number of myths, stereotypes and commonly held misconceptions about migrants.

The report examines a number of areas such as population; employment; housing; benefits; economy; healthcare; education; crime; and social cohesion. Below are some of the report’s key findings:

  • Migrant workers contributed around £1.2 billion to the Northern Irish economy from 2004 to 2008
  • Only 4% of the Northern Ireland workforce is made up of migrant workers
  • Only 3% of the total number of pupils attending school in Northern Ireland are ethnic minorities
  • 81.5% of migrants in the UK are employed
  • Less than 5% of EU migrants claim Jobseekers Allowance
  • The cost of temporary migrants using the health service amounts to around 0.01% (£12 million) of the £109 billion NHS budget

The Unite Against Hate campaign has recently been re-launched by the Centre for Peace Building and Democracy who commissioned the ‘Challenging Racism: Ending Hate’ report into the facts about migrant populations in Northern Ireland.

The report highlights the fact that, contrary to popular belief, migrants contribute more in tax than they consume in public services. In Northern Ireland, migrant workers contributed around £1.2 billion to the Northern Irish economy from 2004 to 2008. Migration also contributes to sustaining economic growth, filling labour shortages, bringing much needed skills and enriching society through cultural diversity.

Speaking about the report, the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building Chairman Lord Alderdice said:

“In response to a number of race hate attacks in recent months, the Centre for Peace Building and Democracy was keen to commission a piece of work that would look seriously at the migrant population in Northern Ireland and demonstrate how much migrants contribute to our society.

“The report highlights contributions in tax, skills, labour and cultural diversity – enriching our society rather than threatening it.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon said:

“Tackling racism continues to be a priority for Belfast City Council and is a priority which has all party political support.  The report provides a strong evidence base for Belfast as a city to be able to champion the positive social and economic benefits of diversity and to continue to promote Belfast as a welcoming and inclusive city”.

Professor Shirlow added:

“The report and its findings are profoundly important because they completely rebut the stereotypes that have plagued our migrant population in recent years. People need to be educated about the facts.

“We frequently hear claims that migrants take our jobs and use up our limited services. Migrants pose no threat to our society. This report will hopefully go some way towards changing the conversation about migrants in Northern Ireland.”

PCSP Chair Colin Keenan said:

“Belfast PCSP’s community engagement has shown that these myths have led to negative stereotyping of the migrant population in Belfast.  In extreme circumstances, these myths have been used as an excuse for racist hate crime which cannot be allowed to continue.  Belfast PCSP will play a full role in challenging these myths going forward.”

CDPB endorses #CommonPlatform response to the Racial Equality Strategy

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Centre for Democracy and Peace Building and the Unite Against Hate campaign endorsed the Common Platform paper and welcomed the partnership approach in addressing racial inequalities in our society.

Recent months have witnessed a drastic increase in the number of hate crimes reported to the PSNI. Hate crimes are particularly serious, as they compromise the quality of life for individuals and communities. Hate crimes damage people and the social fabric of Northern Ireland.

Combating hate crime requires consistent, integrated and multi-agency approach.

The Racial Equality Strategy needs to demonstrate clear leadership and commitment to the development of the Hate Crime Action Plan to improve the strategic and operational response to hate crime. Hate Crime Action Plan should focus on victim support, prevention and intervention, should tackle under reporting and consider the implications for the criminal justice agencies.

We need to bring everyone together with the collective goal of building more positive attitudes towards diversity in Northern Ireland, challenging prejudice and hatred.

Living with diversity is an integral part of modern life and we all need to take responsibility for creating an atmosphere where diversity is accepted as normal.

The Common Platform paper has been agreed by organisations working for and with people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds living and working in Northern Ireland, in response to the draft Racial Equality Strategy, A Sense of Belonging, produced by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

The Common Platform highlights agreed common themes and principles that the undersigned organisations believe are critical to the successful implementation of a strategy.

Unite Against Hate Seminar

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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 will be hosting the Unite Against Hate Seminar on Thursday, 18 September 2014 at 6.30pm at QUB.

Lord Alderdice, FRCPsych, Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, Professor John Brewer, HDSocSci, MRIA, FRSE, AcSS, FRSA, Queen’s University Belfast and Professor Mike Cowan, Loyola University New Orleans will examine how the hate we see in racism and sectarianism fits with the religious commitment often claimed.

Professor Michael Cowan and Lord Alderdice will, via their backgrounds in psychotherapy, explore the metaphors, differences and similarities of ‘racism’ and ‘sectarianism’, that reproduce the deep detachments of community division. This will be framed with regard to political and cultural impasse in both New Orleans and Belfast. John Brewer will explore the differences and similarities between racism and sectarianism and highlight the role of faith in underpinning both.

The seminar will be chaired by Professor Peter Shirlow, AcSS, Queen’s University Belfast.

There will be a small wine reception from 6pm preceding the seminar.

For more information or to attend this event please RSVP to Robbie McGreer at ctsj@qub.ac.uk.

First World War centenary service at St. Anne’s Cathedral

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A service commemorating the centenary of Britain’s entry into the First World War is to be held in Belfast.

It will be led by Dean of Belfast John Mann, who will be joined at St Anne’s Cathedral on Monday August 4 by other faith leaders. It marks the date Britain declared war on Germany in 1914.

A candlelit vigil and act of remembrance will be held later that night at the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall.

Organiser Jeffrey Donaldson said: “We face a decade of significant centenaries in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland and I feel it is important that these should not become divisive.

“The global events that took place during 1914 – 1918 involved people from across the island and the political divide and had a profound effect on the history of Ireland in the 20th century.

“We owe it to those who sacrificed their lives with such valour to ensure that the centenary is used to promote better understanding between our various traditions on this island.

“The centennial commemorations of the war provide an opportunity to enhance our shared understanding of this history and to promote reconciliation.”

A member of the Royal Family and First Minister Peter Robinson will be present at the commemorative service along with a senior member of the Irish Government and other community leaders from across Ireland.

Representatives of the Royal British Legion and regimental associations of the army will also attend.

The candlelit vigil will coincide with a similar event at Westminster Abbey and in other regional capitals across the UK. It will be open to the public and those planning to attend are encouraged to bring a candle. The ceremony will include a short act of remembrance and wreath laying, with “lights out” in City Hall for a period during the vigil.

Mr Donaldson chairs a Centenary Committee which organised the events. It believes the key themes for the commemoration of the First World War in Northern Ireland should be remembrance and reconciliation.

The DUP Lagan Valley MP added: “We have sought to engage in traditional acts of remembrance such as the Last Post and the laying of wreaths but
we also recognise that arts and culture must play an important role in our commemoration of the First World War.

“The war itself produced and inspired great poetry, prose, music and art and I hope that over the next four years we are able to add to that with contemporary work that will help us reflect on the war in a new way.”

The committee has identified a number of significant dates that Northern Ireland will play a part in. The centenary of the battles of Gallipoli in April 2015 and Jutland in May 2016, with HMS Caroline in Belfast playing an important part in that particular commemoration. July 1 2016, the centenary of the commencement of the Battle of the Somme, will also be of special significance in Northern Ireland.

CDPB re-launched the Unite Against Hate campaign

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The Centre for Democracy and Peace Building re-launched the Unite Against Hate campaign in partnership with Victim Support NI. The multi-agency driven initiative aims to raise awareness of hate crime among the general public and services available for victims, address the under-reporting of hate crime and promote the benefits of diversity among people in Northern Ireland.

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New Centre for Democracy and Peace Building Launched

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The Centre for Democracy and Peace Building was launched today at the Ulster Museum in Belfast as part of Community Relations Week.

Chairman, John, Lord Alderdice, Directors, Jeffrey Donaldson MP and Liam Maskey, and CEO Eva Grosman, are bringing together the substantial international work they have each been doing separately to jointly offer a more thoughtful exploration of the Irish Peace Process for those from other conflicts who want to hear the Northern Ireland story.

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Official launch of Centre for Democracy and Peace Building

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The official launch of Centre for Democracy and Peace Building will take place on Friday, 20 June 2014 at 12.30pm in the Lecture Theatre Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast BT9 5AB.

This launch is a part of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Week 2014.

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The ‘long and winding road’

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The ‘long and winding road’ towards peace in Ireland still has a few steps to go, but part of the path to a better future for ourselves is found not only in developing new ways of working at home, but in sharing our journey with others elsewhere whose communities have also been trapped in violent political conflict.
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Finding the way forward

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My experience of the Northern Ireland peace process suggests that conversations have been just as important as negotiations in finding a way forward at critical junctures and on vital issues.
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