A dynamic group of leaders from Northern Ireland society has been officially announced as the fourth cohort of the Centre for Democracy and Peace’s Fellowship Programme to reimagine leadership in Northern Ireland.
Twenty-eight people who are already contributing significantly in political, business, civic society and public sector were selected after a competitive process to find the next stand-out leaders in the region.
They were officially sworn in as the Class of 2025 in a special event at the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday morning which was attended by First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA.
The event was hosted by motivational speaker David Meade who got the new cohort into the spirit of collaboration with a unique team building exercise that saw them build prosthetic hands which will be donated to amputees in developing countries as part of the Give a Hand programme.
This year saw another record number of applications for the Fellowship Programme, and the 28 people selected represent a diverse range of sectors with MLAs and councillors from the world of politics, CEOs and directors in the business world, as well as charities, health, education and civil service all represented.
Over the seven-month programme, Fellows will harness the spirit of possibility, deepen their capacity and navigate through complexity by engaging with important issues.
The Fellowship Programme is supported by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Irish American Partnership, as well as some of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers including Allstate NI, Camlin Group, FinTrU, Fujitsu NI, NIE Networks and Ulster Carpets.
Congratulating this year’s Fellowship cohort, First Minister Michelle O’Neill said:
“I want to congratulate the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building for delivering this innovative Fellowship Programme. It is brilliant to see that leaders from across society are being supported in this way and given this opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills. Everything we do must also be about building a better future and improving the lives of everyone who lives here. As leaders we all have a responsibility to create hope, opportunity, and meaningful change.”
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said:
“Congratulations to the leaders taking part in this year’s Fellowship Programme. This programme is aimed at inspiring the next generation of leaders who will be instrumental when it comes to building a future defined by peace and prosperity. I have no doubt participants will develop the skills they need to help deliver real change for the benefit of everyone and I look forward to hearing about their progress in the months ahead.”
Chair of Centre for Democracy and Peace, Baroness Margaret Ritchie said of the Fellowship Programme’s commencement:
“I welcome all the participants on this year’s Fourth Fellowship Programme which offers an opportunity for all participants to develop their leadership skills and expertise, working with colleagues from across a wide variety of disciplines both in the public and private sector as well as civic society.
“The Fellowship offers an opportunity through such expert training to ensure that all those taking part can help to strengthen our democratic institutions in N Ireland with a renewed sense of confidence and vigour. That is the real value of the Fellowship Programme.”
Fellowship Advisory Board Chair, Darragh McCarthy, added:
“We are delighted to be celebrating the launch of the 2024/25 Centre for Democracy and Peace’s Fellowship Programme. This year’s cohort sees leaders from a range of professional and community backgrounds come together to embark on an exciting journey – focusing on our shared sense of responsibility and opportunity.
“It is an honour to have been appointed the Chair of the Fellowship Programme Advisory Board and I am excited for this year’s edition. The spirit of possibility that the fellows will be able to harness through our bespoke sessions and residentials will empower these leaders from across the political, business, and civic sectors.
“As we enter the fourth year of the Fellowship Programme, I wish the 2024/25 fellows the very best of luck and look forward to working with them over the course of the coming months.”
