A Shared Future: Challenges for Northern Ireland, International Implications

Post Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland remains a deeply divided society. Strong sectarian attitudes and deeply ingrained patterns of segregation persist, yet there is a growing demand for integrated goods, facilities and services, and increased evidence of more people breaking away from traditional conceptions of identity. In particular, there is considerable demand and enthusiasm for increased provision of integrated education.

The British Government has now adopted the policy goal of creating a shared and integrated society, and have recognized that the costs and consequences of trying to manage two divided communities are unacceptable.

This community relations process has the potential to become an invaluable example of post-conflict transformation and to contribute to the wider debates of how to address sectarian or other differences within deeply divided societies.

Speakers will discuss the policy challenges involved in delivering a shared future, and the lessons learned from the Northern Ireland experience.

Speakers

• Mitchell Reiss
  United States Special Envoy to Northern Ireland
• Nigel Hamilton
  Head of the Northern Ireland Service
• Duncan Morrow
  Northern Ireland Community Relations Council
• Michael Wardlow
  Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education
• Richard Solomon (introduction)
  United States Institute of Peace
• Stephen Farry, Moderator
  United States Institute of Peace

Archived Audio

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