Feedback from our work with Belfast Interface Project

Over the period 2013 / 2014 Belfast Interface Project secured funding from N.I. Community Relations Council to deliver a program entitled ‘Past and Present’ which would involve a number of workshops / discussions to local communities in Belfast. These dialogue sessions would explore their experiences in reconciliation and dealing with the past. This project brought a lot of people but particularly victims and survivors together to experience a post conflict journey within themselves. It was a very emotional and inspirational set of episodes for many people. Although extremely difficult it is a journey that many in our society still need to make together. We feel participants on the program and in the discussion groups got a sense of how difficult the journey of reconciliation can be but also how necessary it is for our society to move forward. We feel this piece of work was greatly enhanced by the input from Jo Berry and Pat Magee and the ’Building Bridges for Peace’ initiative and the story of their personal road to reconciliation was the inspiration for many of the discussions. We would also hope that we can work with them again in the future to develop other ideas and opportunities on peacebuilding in our communities.

Joe O’Donnell
Strategic Director

We are very pleased to be partnering with Belfast Interface Project and thrilled to have secured funding  from the Community Council and are now part of their  Past and Present project. We have had our first workshop with youth leaders and community leaders and will be starting in the New Year to making more of a contribution.

Belfast Interface Project

Vision

Our overall vision is of a Belfast in which today’s interface communities:

• Are free of tension, intimidation and violence both within and between communities;
• Have come to terms with legacies of the past;
• Are socially and economically vibrant, within an attractive physical environment;
• Enjoy freedom of movement in accessing facilities and services;
• Have respect for cultural difference and diversity.

Mission Belfast Interface Project is a membership organisation which aims to support the development of creative approaches towards the regeneration of Belfast’s interface areas, through:

1. Being proactive in linking and involving local communities in changing policy and in advocating for change that is of practical benefit to interface communities.
2. To be supportive of interface communities and to advocate with agencies and others in order to address issues of safety in interface communities and safe access to work and services, through improved relationships between communities, increased labour mobility and the development of shared services.
3. To be supportive of interface communities and to develop positive relationships by encouraging and enabling co-operation, promoting articulation and understanding of key issues involved in sharing and division, and providing support through change.
4. Ensuring that membership remains reflective of interface communities as changes occur and that the organisation is managed efficiently and effectively.

Aims

• To influence policy and advocate for change;
• To advocate with agencies and others in order to address issues of safety in interface communities;
• To support interface communities to develop positive relationships;
• To ensure that membership remains reflective of interface communities and that the organisation is managed efficiently and effectively.

Values Through promoting:

• mutual understanding;
• the aquisition and dissemination of new knowledge;
• respect and tolerance;
• shared ownership of common issues, concerns, resources and opportunities;
• creativity and innovation;
• equality and accountability, self-help and mutual supp