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/