Kofi Annan Foundation Reconciliation Study

Kofi Annan Opening the Symposium

In 2017 Interpeace and the Kofi Annan Foundation launched a joint project on reconciliation that aims to contribute to the current debates on reconciliation by identifying innovations and lessons that can inspire national and international actors engaged or willing to engage in reconciliation efforts, as well as shedding light on how such efforts can best be supported by international actors. Grainne Kelly and myself were contracted by the Kofi Annan Foundation to write a case study for the large research project, as well as contribute to a high-level symposium convened by Mr Kofi Annan aimed at capturing lessons on experiences of reconciliation and provide guidelines on how to design and implement reconciliation processes. Over 2017 Grainne Kelly and I worked on research to inform their report (high level interviews with policymakers). A draft Northern Ireland case study was submitted to the Kofi Annan Foundation in the summer of 2017 and then presented to a high-level symposium in October 2017 in Bogota, Colombia. Kofi Annan opened the symposium on reconciliation in Bogota, Colombia. Grainne Kelly presented her and my research on reconciliation and its challenges in Northern Ireland. You can see more about the event here: http://www.kofiannanfoundation.org/building-lasting-peace/reconciliation-symposium/

What is reconciliation?

The "Community Reconciliation in Northern Ireland", a Democratic Dialogue project, explores how the term 'reconciliation' is conceptualised within a range of community organisations and local authorities and how this understanding is translated into practical strategies for action in engaging various sectors of Northern Ireland society. We have just started to publish some of the papers from the project. They may be of general interest as myself and Grainne Kelly have attempted to define reconciliation in them. The papers are available on the Project Section of the site. Or you can download the paper, A Working Definition of Reconciliation, directly by clicking here. Longer reports are due in the coming months.