20 September 2019
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee were asked back for the second time to speak with the young people from the Academy of Ubuntu leaders. Jo reports on the trip:
‘We gathered in Gaia near Porto and the audience represented 11 countries including East Timor, Columbia, Venezuela, Senegal, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
After the important Documentary – In Dialogue there was a discussion led by the documentary maker Sira Abenoza. She is a philosopher who believes that most conflicts in society are due to lack of dialogue. ‘We started with a boat journey through the bridges of the city which was relevant as the theme was the mission of bridge builders. In the afternoon the international conference started and we spoke after a film about dialogue in Northern Ireland. There was no time for questions but as were there for the two days there was many opportunities for the young people to come and speak with us. Although I heard many personal stories of anguish and hurt from their past, I was moved by their dedication and courage to make a positive difference in their country. I also spent time with the other speakers and have been invited to a few African countries as well as Columbia. I always love the opportunities to visit other countries and to be able to make a difference, such a honour.’
Feedback from the event organisers on Jo and Patrick’s participation:“Your promotion of dialogue and mediation as means for peace was highly relevant and was a key contributor for the success and the significance of the international conference.”
Patrick and Jo meeting José Manuel Ramos-Horta from East Timor. He received the 1996 Nobel Prize for Peace for his work to bring peace and independence to East Timor UBUNTU FEST is a joint initiative of the Vila Nova de Gaia City Council and the Ubuntu Leaders Academy, within the framework of the 2019 Gaia International Forum. It aims to promote a space for reflection and exchange for participants that promotes social cohesion, positive management of human diversity, the defense of an ethic of care and the education for building bridges. The Ubuntu Leaders Academy is a non-formal education training project for young people coming from or intervening in vulnerable contexts to build their skills, drawing on leaders such as Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King. Currently, the Academy is present in 13 countries. This project, which has been under development since 2010, is sponsored by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the “Programa Escolhas” and the Montepio Foundation. Ubuntu means “Becoming a person” and “I am because you are; I can only become a person through relationship” and it was a defining philosophy to build a rainbow society in Nelson Mandela’s view, to transition from apartheid to democracy.
In September 2019 Jo went back for a third time to Sacred Heart school in Liverpool. She spent a day with the first year of six form and another day with the second year. After starting with her story, she then asked them to look at themes throughout the day in small groups. The areas…
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee are speaking at the International Festival of Brilliant Minds, Ciudad de las Ideas, which is dedicated to empowering the citizen by spreading powerful ideas. It takes place in Puebla in Mexico on the 5th, 6th and 7th November. Over the three days, there are many 21-minute talks, Patrick and Jo…
The documentary ‘Facing the Enemy’ is now on YouTube and is a powerful record of the first year of the meetings between Jo Berry and Patrick Magee. FACING THE ENEMY / EN – full movie 17 years later, Jo Tuffnell faces the man who took her father. Directed by Paul McGuigan, this 66-minute English documentary…
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee spoke to the Scarriff Foroige Youth Club as part of the Scariff Festival in Country Clare, Ireland. Tracey Doyle, the youth leader, wrote after, ‘It was an absolute pleasure to meet you both and listen to your story. Our members are carrying on the valuable conversation that was started during…
17 – 18 Nov 2018 Exeter Hope in Conflict – Saturday 17th November with Pádraig Ó Tuama. Venue: The Alumni Auditorium, The Forum, on Streatham Campus, University of Exeter, EX4 4PT. Registration at 9.30am for 10am start, finishes at 4.15pm. Open to those of all faiths and none. A summary of the Programme is available HERE….
Sir Anthony Berry was killed in the Irish Republican Army’s bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton in 1984. His daughter Jo talks about her friendship with the man convicted of the attack and why she thinks empathy can make a difference. When confronted with the heart wrenching reality of conflict there are some individuals…
