Glencree's Youth Programme is currently being revised and developed. 

Glencree hosted Youth Connections for Peace in July 2008.  This is a lively group of 22 Palestinian and Irish (from north and south) young people.
For more information about the programme see the site: www.youthconnectionsforpeace.org

 
Palestinian and Irish Teenagers (North and South)
Explore Ways to Make Peace at Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation
in July 2008

By Colin Corbett (NIMF)

Last year the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund (NIMF) completed a very successful youth project involving 22 teenagers (male and female) from both sides of the community, who came from throughout the province. The group was formed in February 2007 and undertook various activities before completing a building project in Romania, in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. Accompanied by leaders, the teenagers (aged between sixteen and eighteen) built a house for a family living in poverty housing conditions.

Following on from this the Fund was asked to participate in the Youth Connections for Peace Programme which aims to make a positive contribution to the Israel/Palestine conflict by connecting young people from both sides of that divide, alongside teenagers from Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Ten N.I. teenagers, under the auspices of the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund, are participating in the project which is led by Colin Corbett from the Fund and Beth McGrath, a Director of the Fund. The N.I. group has linked with twelve teenagers from Ballinteer Community School in Dublin and undertaken fun and learning workshops in Glencree with them in March and May 2008. The Ballinteer group is led by Lucinda Packham, a co-ordinator with the School Completion Programme at the school and Dr. Susan Hood, Co-ordinator of the historic pilgrimage of hope for peace undertaken by the four leaders of the main Irish churches (recently featured in a UTV documentary Mission of Peace on Tuesday 15th July 2008).

The Palestinian group (15 teenagers and 4 leaders) come from the only Christian-majority village in the northern West Bank, called Zebabdeh, and are led by an Anglican priest Fr. Fadi  Diabi. Their group, the Zebabdah Youth Group for Peace and Reconciliation was set up to explore a sense of identity for young people, set in the context of a shrinking Christian community in the Holy Land, by connecting them with students abroad and in their own community. The group visited Glencree in July 2007 and were returning this summer to continue the programme and to learn more about Northern Ireland.

The groups met and were hosted at Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation on 23rd July 2008 and undertook some fun and learning workshops. This included workshops with Deputy Counsellor Cohen of the Israeli Embassy and Deputy Counsellor Dorkham from the Palestinian Embassy and facilitated by Glencree. The group then travelled to the BB centre at Ganaway, Millisle on 25th July returning to Glencree on 29th July. During their stay in Northern Ireland the group visited the peace walls and other locations in the greater Belfast area including Stormont. In addition they undertook several dialogue engagements and participate in fun activities including an inter-cultural drumming workshop. The Irish Youth Development Agency, Leargas, is the principal funder for the project, with Christian Aid, Trócaire and other church organisations also contributing.

It is hoped that in the next phase the groups from Ireland and Northern Ireland will visit Israel and Palestine with teenagers from Israel also participating in the programme.

Note:
The Northern Ireland Memorial Fund is an independent charity that seeks to promote peace and reconciliation by ensuring that those individuals and families that have suffered as a result of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland are remembered by providing them with help and support in a practical and meaningful way.

Contact: Colin Corbett

Ph. +44 2890 520079 email colin.corbett@nio.x.gsi.gov.uk