The resumption of the Assembly and Executive of Stormont is the basis for a reform of government in Northern Ireland and a change in the way our society operates. The big question is how this can be achieved.
Holywell Trust conducted interviews with opinion leaders in Northern Ireland and the Republic asking how our society should change. Those 35 ‘Forward Together’ interviews were covered extensively last year by Slugger and broadcast as podcasts. They have this week been published on the Holywell Trust website as written transcripts. The original interviews can also be listened to there.
Interviewees include Robin Eames, Denis Bradley, Naomi Long, Mark Durkan and Clare Bailey. The interviews focus on four questions: how do we strengthen civic society; how do we create an integrated society; how do we address the legacy of the past; and how do we have the conversation about the constitutional status of Northern Ireland in ways that are not threatening.
Gerard Deane, manager of the Holywell Trust, said: “These interviewees provide a range of ideas about how we can strengthen our society and strengthen the continuing process towards permanent peace. One of the most important contributions – made by several interviewees – was the observation that we are almost mid-way through what is probably a 50 year process towards the creation of a permanently peaceful society. This is a long haul.
“With the resumption of government, we must make sure we learn from the past and deal with the challenges our society faces in an honest and open way. I hope these interviews contributes to this process.
“We are very appreciative of those funding bodies that have enabled this important project to be realised – they include the Community Relations Council, the Executive Office’s Together: Building a United Community and Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs.”
Our partnership with Slugger has been immensely beneficial to this project, enabling it to reach a far wider audience.
Photo by veve is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
Paul Gosling is editor of ‘Lessons from the Troubles and an Unsettled Peace’, author of ‘A New Ireland’ and ‘The Fall of the Ethical Bank’ and co-author of ‘Abuse of Trust’, the story of a child abuse scandal in Leicestershire. He is engaged by the Holywell Trust charity on peace and reconciliation projects.
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