Stuck dancing at the crossroads?

Once upon a time, the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement was all about reconciliation. Its pages are filled with promises of ‘new beginnings’ and ‘dedicated to the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance, and mutual trust’, all signed ‘in a spirit of concord’. Binding commitments were given not only to purely democratic and political means but to oppose ‘any use or threat of force by others for any political purpose’. Every signatory pledged to ‘work to ensure the success of each and every one of the arrangements’ and signed up to complex but ultimately clear constitutional arrangements: UK sovereignty which it would be ‘wrong to change without consent’; an acceptance that it is the ‘birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose’ which cannot ‘be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland’; and ‘parity of esteem and of just and equal treatment for the identity, ethos and aspirations of both communities.’ Everyone supported new institutions for equality and human rights, a new Civic Forum, and initiatives for community relations, mixed housing and integrated education.

In spite of opposition from the DUP, over 70% of a very large turn-out voted ‘Yes’. After the St Andrews Agreement in 2006, the theory was that ‘small adjustments’, agreed by the governments and the parties without reference to a referendum, had allowed everyone to sign up.

Yet 15 years later talk of a shared future seems to be more unwelcome than ever.

Read the rest of the article by Duncan Morrow on 15 Years On.

More steep hills to climb…

The controversies surrounding parading last summer, the murder of David Black and the riots over the Union flag serve as stark reminders that we are not yet a settled place. It is easy to feel despondent and believe we have made little progress when we see violence on our streets again or the angry views of our divided politicians.

Nelson Mandela once said: “I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”

Despite 15 years of climbing great hills since the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, our ‘long walk is not ended.’ We should, of course, take time to ‘steal a view’ of the progress we have made, and should not take that progress for granted. Hundreds of our citizens are alive today, and thousands are safe from injury and fear, because of that progress.

Read the rest of the article by Peter Sheridan on 15 Years On.

OFMDFM Response to CSI Strategy

OFMDFM have now published all the Consultation Responses the Cohesion, Sharing and Integration Consultation process on their website, which includes 288 submissions. The consultation also included 11 public meetings and 15 sector specific meetings.

They have also produced an independent Consultation Analysis Report on the responses received.

They have published a response too, OFMDFM Response to the Consultation on Cohesion, Sharing and Integration.

Responses to Cohesion Sharing and Integration Strategy

The Community Relations Council has been publishing the various reponses to the Cohesion, Integration and Sharing Strategy consultation document on its website. You can read the responses here. The CRC's own rather excellent response is also now available, download the CRC response.

Consultation on Cohesion, Sharing and Integration Strategy launched

Today, OFMDMF launched the consultation around the long awaited Cohesion, Sharing and Integration document they have now released. The public consultation was launched on Tuesday 27 July 2010 and will run until 29 October 2010. For details on the consultation and how to make a submission visit the OFMDFM site. You can also download the consultation document.

A Shared Future Policy Document

In Northern Ireland the policy document "A Shared Future Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland" has now been launched. According to the introduction of the the document "This policy document sets out that we need to establish over time a shared society defined by a culture of tolerance: a normal, civic society, in which all individuals are considered as equals, where violence is an illegitimate means to resolve differences, but where differences are resolved through dialogue in the public sphere and where all people are treated impartially". It remains to be seen how this will be embraced and developed. Download the document.