What's Next For Me?

This is the last blog entry I am required to post for my internship.  I hope, however, that time will allow me to add new posts off and on as there are a lot more stories I would like to tell about my adventures in Northern Ireland.

So what’s next?  What stood out for me that I may wish to pursue in the future?

During my internship, I came to learn about a practice that I find deeply disturbing.  They call it “intimidation,” and it includes death threats, forced exile, punishment beatings, and punishment shootings, primarily directed at young men believed to be excessively unruly.  There is a lot of secrecy surrounding this practice (in spite of the fact that everyone knows it occurs), which makes it difficult to find out exactly what is involved and what can or should be done to stop it.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to speak confidentially with a number of individuals about their knowledge, understanding, and perspective on the practice, none of which I can disclose here.  I did my best to keep my mind open so I could truly hear each of the individuals’ stories, but I also know that nothing I heard convinced me that intimidation is an appropriate way to discipline anyone.

As I begin my thesis research working with middle school students, I will no doubt allow myself to stop dwelling on the problem of intimidation.  But I also know that, when the time is right, I will continue working to understand and eliminate the practice.  For now, I am hoping that between my upcoming class in restorative justice at the Oregon State Penitentiary, and the work that I will be doing with a hundred sixth graders, I will gain additional knowledge and insights on how best to help Northern Ireland find better, more restorative ways to work with their unruly youth.

Peace Education and Collaboration

Rotary, Incore, and the University of Ulster

 

While I stayed extremely busy during my internship in Northern Ireland, I would be fibbing if I were to say that I was even close to being over-worked.  In fact, most of my time was spent going to places and events, meeting people and learning about their work, tagging along to trainings and facilitations, and reading lots of books, brochures, and articles about the history and culture of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

 

PRG Staff and Volunteers: Oran, Jake, Anna, Catherine, Owen, Wendy

And while most of my time was spent doing the aforementioned things while in the company of PRG staff, I also had several opportunities to venture out on my own (usually with guidance from PRG staff). 

For instance, as a Rotarian, I visited and got to know many of the Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Londonderry.  I learned about the recent International Peace Conference they co-hosted in May where Rotarians, community leaders, and peace activists from Northern Ireland and around the world had come together in Derry/Londonderry to meet and share ideas of peace.  The primary aim of the forum was to contribute to the work and knowledge of those involved in peacemaking and peacebuilding everywhere.

 http://www.rotaryglobalpeaceforumderry-londonderry.com/

The conference was co-hosted by partner, INCORE (International Conflict Research Institute).  INCORE is located in Derry at the University of Ulster, within the Faculty of Social Sciences, and is involved in a variety of peace and conflict-related activities across the University, blending disciplines such as politics, policy studies, history, international affairs, sociology, geography, architecture, communications and social work with peace and conflict studies.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Professor Stephen Ryan (not pictured) at the University of Ulster.  Professor Ryan is a Senior Lecturer in the university’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program.  In addition to his work as a professor of sociology and peace studies, Ryan also teaches the Culture and Peacebuilding class for INCORE's International Summer School Program, a program that brings peace scholars from around the world to Derry every summer.  If all goes well, I may be attending this five-day program next summer.  Fingers crossed.

 

http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/about/

 

"Good Relations" in Northern Ireland

As part of the Northern Ireland Act of 1998, a duty was created to actively promote “good relations.”  This duty was spelled out in Section 75.  It states:

“The second duty, the Good Relations duty, requires that public authorities in carrying out their functions relating to Northern Ireland have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion and racial group.”

This good relations duty has provided a responsibility for and funding to city councils all over Northern Ireland to develop plans, strategies, and programs that deliver education and training on good relations to all populations. 

 

A big part of what the Peace and Reconciliation Group (PRG) is involved in at this time is developing and delivering a variety of good relations programs, which are funded primarily by the Community Relations Council (CRC) and related city councils (also funded by the CRC).  This includes the Derry City Council and the Belfast City Council (just to name a few).

In addition to delivering programs, PRG is also required to publish a report after each program showing funders what was done, why it was done, and what the results of the training was on the population who received it.  As part of my work, I helped proof and edit several of these reports.  For instance, one of the programs that PRG designed and has delivered a number of times now is called “Let’s Talk Politics.”  This program brings Northern Ireland youth ages 16 to 18 from all traditions together with politicians (city councils, Northern Ireland Assembly, and Westminster) to meet and talk about some of the country’s most important issues. 

Unfortunately, due to timing, I was unable to observe or participate in any of these talks.  But I did get to help proof and edit the report for the program that was delivered in Derry earlier this year.  And I was helping with the Belfast report when I had to come home.

Traveling to County Armagh with the Orange Order

September 7, 2013


Our charter bus at Dan Winter's Cottage

As part of the single identity work being done within the Protestant community, I had the privilege of traveling with members of the Orange Order to County Armagh to visit two historically significant buildings that are dear to Protestants in Northern Ireland—Brownlow House and Dan Winter’s Cottage.

 



Brownlow House / Lurgan Castle - County Armagh

Brownlow House, also known as Lurgan Castle, is owned by the Lurgan Loyal Orange District Lodge and is also the headquarters of the Royal Black Institution.  Both the Orange Order and the Royal Black Institution are Protestant fraternities whose histories and traditions go back to the late 1700s.



Dan Winter's Cottage/House

Dan Winter’s Cottage/House is located in the heart of where the Battle of the Diamond was fought in 1795; it is also the birthplace of the Orange Order, which was established in 1795.  Today, the house serves as a museum for relics from the battle and for memorabilia of the Orange Order.  Dan Winter’s ancestor, Hilda, serves as the house’s custodian and is also a marvelous storyteller of the house’s history.

While sitting in the museum with the ladies of the Orange Order, waiting for the men to complete their business meeting in the next room, I made the “mistake” of asking Hilda why this house, which we had traveled well into the back roads of Northern Ireland to get to, was so important.  Hilda smiled mischievously and launched into the tale of the Battle of the Diamond, complete with names, places, and insults thrown between sides.  She was absolutely delightful, stopping every so often to check that she wasn’t going too fast for her audience.  We all smiled, nodded, and urged her on. 

 

While Hilda’s stories of Irish history were very interesting and highly entertaining, it was her explanation of the cottage’s current significance that was of most interest to me.  She explained how groups of school kids from both traditions travel from all over Ireland to visit the area and learn about the beginning of sectarian violence in Ireland.  She shared with us the shift in perspective she sees in the children after they learn how easily a simple spat between folks who previously were friends can be turned into three hundred years of hatred and violence.  Through her stories, Hilda is confident that the next generation will be inspired to create and sustain peace for further generations.
 

Sharing this time with Hilda and the ladies of the Orange Order was especially powerful.  I truly believe we established a strong connection to the house, the history, and each other.