FCT 2011 Derry-Londonderry - Report

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The story of the Derry~Londonderry

Forum for Cities in Transition Conference

23 26 May 2011

Bridging the Gap


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Contents

2

Chapter Title Page

Foreword 3

Introduction 51 A Journey Begins 6

2 The 2011 Derry~Londonderry Conference 9

3 From Indaba to Action 13

4 The Journey Continues 16

In Conclusion 19

Appendix 21


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Derry~Londonderry was the first member city of the

Forum for Cities in Transition (FCT) to have its citycouncil officially endorse its membership.

Derry~Londonderry was the first city to volunteerto hold the 2010 conference, following the founding

conference at the University of MassachusettsBoston in April 2009, but gave way to Mitrovica.

Derry~Londonderrys commitment at the 2010

conference to have the Police Service of NorthernIreland (PSNI) host a ten person delegation ofKosovo police officers five Kosovars and five

Serbian was the most far reaching in scope andindicative of the citys willingness to assume aleadership role - a city on a higher step on the ladder

of transition helping a city on the lower rung.

This booklet is also a first. It encapsulates an

understanding of the conceptual underpinnings ofthe FCT and how it works in practice.

Most importantly, it articulates the core meaning

of the FCT, that it is not about annual conferencesin one city after another, but a vehicle for action.It lucidly describes how implementation of the

commitments every member city is required to makeat the final plenary of each years conference is what

gives the FCT its special niche in the field of postconflict healing and reconciliation.

Each city has to give an accounting of how it has

implemented the commitments it made the previousyear. Accordingly, each conference is linked tothe next, and the commitments of member cities

becoming instruments of implementation define theFCTs ongoing purpose.

For without outcomes being implemented, theFCT is stillborn. Without member cities steppingforward and making commitments that are actually

translated into action - oriented outcomes, the FCTwill cease to exist.

Foreword

Prof. Padraig OMalley


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4

As the FCT evolves, member cities themselves must

take full ownership of the process, become more

confident of their ability to manage the relationships

among themselves and create an ambience in which

the sum of their collective endeavors is greater than

what a single city does on its own. Only through such

a dynamic process will relationships be cemented as

well as the public space created for further sharing

and a deeper understanding of the problems each

city faces. At some point the FCT must find its own

legs.

In this regard a city - driven FCT will push its sister

cities to the limits of the capabilities within their

means, encourage and lead the way in the use of

social media networks to create togetherness with

the bonding that as a group makes you unique.

It is my hope and that of the Secretariat Allan

in Belfast as well as Nancy in Boston that

this booklet, capturing the experience of

Derry~Londonderry 2011, will be widely distributed

not just among member cities but also throughout

Northern Ireland. Our hope is that it bears fruit not

only within the confines of Northern Ireland, but that

it finds an audience in cities that have undergone

or may still be in the throes of post communal

conflict, spreading the message that one city in

transition from such situations is the best position

to help another city, also in the process of similar

transitions.

We hope, too, that among cities unaware of the FCT,

this booklet becomes a tool convincing them of the

benefits of membership.

You are opening frontiers of communications and

interaction that will enable each member city to

grow itself into a single community, not remaining

forever trapped in the detritus of its divided past.

Again, this booklet is a first for a member

city setting out its experiences, in this case

Derry~Londonderry, in a way that educates,

promulgates the possibilities the FCT presents and

how many of these possibilities are already being

realised.

On behalf of the Secretariat Nancy, Allan and

myself, we feel privileged to have witnessed

Derry~Londonderry take shape over many months

of hard work, seeing that work find expression in a

conference that few will forget and all will remember

when the commitments made by member cities

become realities in their own right.

Padraig O Malley

Moakley Professor of Peace and ReconciliationDirector, FCT

University of Massachusetts Boston

Prof. Padraig OMalley with John Hume


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5

Transition the process or a period of changing

from one state or condition to another

In May 2011 a major international conference took

place in Derry~Londonderry. The event brought

together seventy delegates from cities around the

world. Each of these cities shared something in

common. They had all experienced violent conflict

arising from deep communal divisions. The citiesincluded Beirut, Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, Haifa,

Jerusalem, Kaduna, Kirkuk, Mitrovic / Kosovska

Mitrovica, Mitte, Mostar, Nicosia and Ramallah.

The international conference was part of the Forum

for Cities in Transition (FCT) process. As outlined in

its Mission Statement the essence of this initiative, is

threefold:

That People from divided societies are in the

best position to help people in other divided

societies. Former protagonists are bestequipped to share their difficult journeys to

abandon violence as the instrument to achieve

their political aims and open the gateways to

recovery, reconstruction, and reconciliation.

That Cities which are or were at the epicenter

of the conflicts in their countries are in a

special position to assist each other because

they are often a micro-representation of their

societys fault lines.

That securing the initially established peace

can be fostered by citizens of divided citiesworking together

The delegates from each city were deliberatelychosen to reflect all sides in their conflict. Delegates

included Mayors, Councillors, Municipal Officers,

Business Representatives and Representatives from

the community and voluntary sector.

Derry~Londonderry is one of the founding cities

for the Forum for Cities in Transition. The 2011

conference was an opportunity to tell the story

of our own conflict, reflect on the challenges andachievements of our city, and to help other cities in

their efforts to build a lasting peace.

The Forum for Cities in Transition Conference was

remarkable not only because it brought together

delegates from many troubled cities around the

world. It was also remarkable because of the range

of people that came together in Derry~Londonderry

and Belfast to make the event happen.

Centuries old political, tribal and religious divisions

often find their expression in violent conflict. Theexperience of each of the participating cities is that

our ability or inability to live with difference is no

theoretical exercise. Its impact has been felt in many

lives. That is why transition - the process or a period

of changing from one state or condition to another

is always worth the journey.

Bridging the Gap tells the story of the Forum

for Cities in Transition its birth and underlying

philosophy. It also describes what the 2011

conference sought to do and reflects on the

difference that it has made in the journey to peaceboth locally and internationally.

INTRODUCTION


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The Forum for Cities in Transition that took placein Derry~Londonderry was the result of a journey

taken by Professor Padraig OMalley and a team

from the John Joseph Moakley Chair of Peace and

Reconciliation at the University of Massachusetts.Boston. It was also the result of a journey

undertaken by a diverse group of individuals in

Derry~Londonderry and Belfast who formed the

Steering Group that organized the conference. Thisgroup is gathered from very different parts of thecommunity in Derry~Londonderry.

A Vision Takes Shape

For Professor OMalley the process had its origins in

a conference at Arniston, South Africa in mid 1997.

This involved Northern Irelands most senior partynegotiators and senior negotiators from all parties

to the historic 1994 settlement in South Africa thatbrought apartheid to an end. That conference was

convened by the government of President NelsonMandela and by the University of Massachusetts

Boston.

When the parties in Northern Ireland reached the

Good Friday Agreement / Belfast Agreement in1998, party leaders on all sides were effusive in their

praise of the contribution of the South Africans,

and of the informal links that had been maintained

among senior leaders on all sides.

Ten years later, still working on the premise that

one divided society was in the best position to help

another divided society, Professor OMalley arranged

two meetings in Helsinki Finland, in Sept 2007 andApril 2008. Working with Tufts Universitys Institute

of Global Leadership and Crisis Management

Initiative, the NGO founded by Martii Ahtisaari,

former President of Finland, they gathered senior

Iraqi leaders representing all sects and ethnicities,including Shia / Sunni and Arab/Kurd, with former

chief negotiators from both Northern Ireland and

South Africa to address the problem of the sectarian

violence ravishing Iraq. Martin McGuiness, deputyFirst Minister, attended both meetings. The result

was the Helsinki Agreement, signed by 36 of Iraqsmost senior leaders in Baghdad in July 2008. Both

the deputy First Minister and Lord Alderdice came

to Baghdad for the occasion, and briefed Iraqs

President, Talabani, VP Abdul Al Mahdi and USAmbassador Ryan Crocker.

In 2008, the American Ireland Fund enabled

Professor OMalley to pursue his work to furtherthe promulgation of the processes of the IrishPeace Accords as valuable instruments to ease post

conflict transition in other divided societies, and to

share their narratives of conflict and post conflict

paths to transformation and reconciliation.

A Vision Shared

With a commitment to work at a micro-level

Professor OMalley visited Derry~Londonderry,Belfast, Nicosia (Greek and Turkish Cypriot

communities) Kirkuk (Arab, Kurd, Turkmen and

Christian) and Mitrovic / Kosovska Mitrovica (Serbsand Albanian). He met with protagonists or former

protagonists on all sides and explained the concept

that cities in conflict/post conflict situations

shared certain common behavioral characteristicsthat enabled them to bond in ways that would be

outside the range of experiences of more normal

societies, that they should meet to explore whether

this was in fact the case, and if it were so, to create

an international forum composed only of cities fromdivided societies.

In 2008 Professor OMalley made contact with the

then Mayor of Derry City Council, Councillor Gerard

Diver. He invited him to come to a gathering inBoston to join with others in exploring the concept

behind the Forum for Cities in Transition. The

event took place at the University of Massachusetts

Boston. There were delegations of eight from each ofthe above cities, led by their respective mayors, and

including municipal councilors, service providers

and NGOs, working most closely with communities

at the ground level.

CHAPTER 1 A JOURNEY BEGINS


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The Mayor was accompanied by Councillor Maurice

Devenney, Councillor Maeve McLaughlin, Michael

Doherty (Peace and Reconciliation Group), Brian

Dougherty (St Columbs Park House) as well as

Jennifer Hawthorne (Head of Northern Ireland

Housing Executives Community Cohesion Unit) and

Chief Inspector Mark Hamilton (PSNI, with extensive

experience of community interface work).

The purpose of the conference was to have the cities

explore, after listening to the narratives of each

others conflict, whether they had sufficient common

attributes, experiences and collective identification

that they should form a collaborative where they

would share their differences and similarities in a

more formal and ongoing way. The hope being that

learning from each other would strengthen the

social/political fabric of their respective cities.

These cities became the founding cities of the Forumfor Cities in Transition. They drew up a founding

document, A Call to Action and became the

founding cities of the Forum for Cities in Transition.

The journey to involve Derry~Londonderry in the new

Forum was brought home by the then Mayor, Gerard

Diver. Following his involvement in the Boston event

and conversations with Professor OMalley he saw

it as an opportunity for the city not only to exchange

valuable lessons but also to welcome many new

visitors to Derry~Londonderry. Following extensivediscussion upon the return of the Mayor and the rest

of the party to their home city, Derry City Council

endorsed the founding document and committed

their city to membership.

The Journey for Derry - Londonderry

The city of Derry~Londonderry was invited to become

a member of the Forum for Cities in Transition due

to its history and influence in shaping the conflictin Northern Ireland. Over centuries it has been the

scene of iconic events that both provided the seeds

for and symbolise the division and mistrust between

the unionist and nationalist community. This role in

shaping the conflict is seen not only in its ancient

history but also in seminal events over the last four

decades.

As Northern Ireland has emerged from decades

of violence Derry~Londonderry is seen not

only as a microcosm of the damage that inter-

communal division can cause but also points tothe possibilities for building new relationships and

a new community out of a troubled history. As any

community in conflict will testify, the journey of

building trust and relationships is a difficult path.

Yet Derry~Londonderry can testify to a willingness

to make that journey, as is exhibited by the make-

up of the Steering Group for the 2011 Conference,

representing all sides and sectors of the community.

As the Derry~Londonderry Forum developed, in

anticipation of contributing to this internationalprocess, efforts were made to expand the range of

people involved. The Derry~Londonderry Forum

also includes a number of participating members

from outside of the city, notably from Belfast,

Northern Irelands largest city. The Steering Group

is comprised of representatives across the political,

civic and community spectrum:

Angela Askin (Chair) (Community Relations

Officer, Derry City Council)

Gerard Diver (Councillor and former Mayor,Derry City Council) (SDLP)

Maeve McLaughlin (Councillor, Derry City

Council) (Sinn Fin)

Maurice Devenney (Mayor, Councillor, Derry

City Council) (DUP)

Colm Cavanagh (Business Development

Manager, North West Regional College)

Michael Doherty (Director, Peace and

Reconciliation Group)

Brian Dougherty (Director, St Columbs Park

House)

Willie Lamrock (Director, Londonderry YMCA)

Jim Roddy (Director, City Centre Initiatives)

Earl Storey (Consultant and Communications

Officer for Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry

and Raphoe)

Chris Yates (Chief Inspector, Foyle, PSNI)

Underscoring Derry~Londonderrys suitability to bepart of this process, in July 2010 Derry~Londonderry

was selected as the UK City of Culture for 2013.

The Independent Advisory Panel, which chose the

city, considered the citys capacity to address past

conflicts as a source of inspiration and believed the

willingness of civic leaders to confront the legacy

of its recent history was one of the most positive

aspects of its bid. The potential step-changes that

the city could achieve are very substantial, by helping

create a new narrative about the city as well asrealising community, social and economic benefits.

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The Forum for Cities in Transition

The Mission Statement of the Forum for Cities inTransition sets out its founding principles:

1.People from divided societies are in the best

position to help people in other divided societies.

Former protagonists are best equipped to sharetheir difficult journeys to abandon violence as

the instrument to achieve their political aims and

open the gateways to recovery, reconstruction, and

reconciliation.

2. Cities that are or were at the epicenter of

the conflicts in their countries are in a special

position to assist each other because they,

too, harbor many of the same behavioral

characteristics.Indeed they often are the micro-

representation of their societys fault lines.

3. Securing the initially established peace can

be fostered by citizens of divided cities working

together in jointly sponsored, sustainable

development and environmental restoration

projects that directly benefit the citizenry and

build a foundation for the future.

The centerpiece of the Forum for Cities in

Transitions activities is an annual conference,

hosted by one of the member cities, to which

delegations from member cities are invited. Atthis conference, the host city, which designs the

program:

a. Provides a full and comprehensive accounting

of where it once was when engulfed in thelarger conflict raging in the broader society;

b. Where it now is in terms of addressing the

multitudinous problems of recovery and

reconstruction;

c. Outline the scale of transformation to

normalcy and the unfinished business, the

legacy of decades of conflict that still had to

be faced, both on the ground on a day to daybasis and in terms of the broader context of

developing a shared vision of the future that

is endorsed by once warring communities.

4. The Forum for Cities in Transition is not a talkingshop, but action oriented. At the conferences con-

clusion, each city had to come forward with a project,

within its realizable capacity, which it committed

itself to complete by the time of the next conference.

In addition, a number of bilateral arrangements aremade among cities. The cities themselves monitor

each others commitments to the obligations they

promised to fulfill.

The Inaugural Forum for Cities in

Transition Conference 2010

Derry~Londonderry was prepared to host the

first conference in 2010, but yielded to Mitrovic/

Kosovska Mitrovica, which hosted the inaugural

conference of the Forum for Cities in Transition inMay 2010. This conference was a reflection of howthe two communities, Albanian and Serb, were able

to rise above the differences that provide the context

for their conflict and create a vibrant program.

This opened to participating cities the day-to-day

experiences of Mitrovicans on both sides of the River

Ibar and of how they had found ways to transcend

the multiple issues that drive division

Nine cities sent some 70 + delegates representative

of the communities with deep divisions among them

in their own cities. These included the foundingcities Derry~Londonderry, Belfast, Nicosia,

(Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot), Kirkuk, and

host Mitrovic/Kosovska Mitrovica and guest cities

included - Mostar, Beirut, Jerusalem, and Haifa.

At the end of the inaugural event,

Derry~Londonderry agreed to host the 2011

conference, to take place 23-26th May 2011.

Although an initiative of the Moakley Chair

at University of Massachusetts Boston, the

administrative secretariat is Nancy Riordan (Co-ordinator and Manager of the Moakley Chair,

Allan Leonard (Director of the Northern Ireland

Foundation) and Quintin Oliver (Director of

Stratagem). The Secretariat worked closely with

the Derry~Londonderry Forum in organizing and

developing the conference. The guiding principle forthe preparation of each conference is that ownership

of the Forum belongs to the cities themselves and

they collectively are the decision makers.

Former Mayor Gerard Diver


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A Forum for Cities in Transition Conference setsout to make something possible - the transfer ofknowledge amongst different conflict areas of the

world and specifically to draw on the relevanceof the local hosting forum. The transfer of

knowledge through the eyes of the local forummakes the conference relevant on a local scale to

Community Development Practitioners and ConflictTransformation Theorists. The power of the process

lies in the action it inspires at grass roots level.This happens because the local forum is made up

of grass roots workers with some level of strategicresponsibility.

The Derry~Londonderry conference took place on

the 23 26 May 2011. It was designed and directedby the Derry~Londonderry forum, comprised of key

local stakeholders from the main unionist (British)and nationalist (Irish) communities. It was thus an

inclusive event, the organising of which, providedsignificant opportunity for bi-communal dialogue,

shared work and ultimately reconciliation.

Accompanying the local Steering Group wasProfessor OMalley and staff from the Moakley Chairat University of Massachusetts Boston as well as

the director of the Northern Ireland Foundation,Allan Leonard. The Secretariat worked closely with

the Derry~Londonderry Forum. A professionalevents organizing company, Maiden Events

(Gillian Simpson, Julia Kee and Seana Hume), wascommissioned to manage the conference. The good

work of a large number of local volunteers was alsosignificant in the successful delivery of the event.

The guiding principle for the preparation of each

Forum for Cities in Transition conference is thatownership of the Forum belongs to the cities

themselves and they collectively are the decisionmakers. All those associated with the organising

of the conference in Derry~Londonderry wished todemonstrate that local empowerment can achieve

concrete results, which contribute to improvingsocio-economic outcomes both at personal and

community level.

CHAPTER 2 THE 2011

DERRY~LONDONDERRY CONFERENCE

Plenary Session


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All of the Derry~Londonderry participants of the

Forum for Cities in Transition gave their full support

for the local hosting of the annual conference. Asalready noted, support was formally received from

Derry City Council. Its elected representatives

passed a positive resolution, with its corporate bodyalso giving its endorsement. The support from Derry

City Council was important in a number of respects.It provided significant political endorsement tothe event as well as providing the Guildhall as a

prestigious venue for the conference. Not least it

also provided the services of Angela Askin, oneof the citys Community Relations Officers, for

the initiative. Her good work in co-ordinating the

meetings of the local Forum contributed greatlyto its success, as did her contribution in chairing a

range of conference sessions.

Within Northern Ireland, fellow participants from

Belfast gave their full support and offers of practicalassistance, including from individual councillors and

officers of Belfast City Council.

In preparation for the 2011 conference Forum

members met with the deputy First Minister of

Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness MLA. Heexpressed his encouragement and support for

the event, from both a regional and constituency

perspective.

The Conference was made possible by generousfunding from the Department for Foreign Affairs,

International Fund for Ireland, Derry City Council,

Monitor Consultancy in Boston and by anonymousbenefactors.

Participating Cities Beirut

Belfast

Derry~Londonderry

Haifa

Jerusalem

Kaduna

Kirkuk

Mitrovic / Kosovska Mitrovica

Mitte (Berlin)

Mostar

Nicosia

Ramallah

Key Themes

The conference programme highlighted the fact that

working towards the transition from a divided to a

healthy society is not a one-dimensional process.The identification and weaving together of themes

illustrated the need for a process that has many

facets and that successfully involves many actors ina continuum of action. A commitment to a process

that is ongoing ensures that no vacuum is left or the

possibility of seeds left for future conflict. To this endthe conference addressed the following themes:

1. The Northern Ireland Peace Process, addressingin particular:

The nature of the conflict in

Derry~Londonderry and conflicttransformation

Where Derry~Londonderry was, where it is

now, and where it hopes to go

2. Economic Development/Urban Regeneration:

Addressing the importance of including

economic development in plans for

reconciliation and conflict transformation

Cultural tourism as a key economic driver

3. The role of women in leading and developingtransition in divided societies

4. The role of culture and art in transformingcommunities:

Addressing the practical applications of the

visual and performance arts in transformingcommunities from conflict environments and

dealing with the past

5. Developing policies of desegregation:

Addressing the importance of both publicpolicies and private initiatives whose

outcomes are desegregation and integration

6. Conflict and Mental Health:

Addressing the need to deal with Post

Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mentalinjuries caused by conflict

7. The International Fund for Ireland has been a key

funder in enabling reconciliation initiatives to take

place in Northern Ireland. Staff and representativesfrom funded projects highlighted the priorities,

action and layered approach of the Fund in aiming to:

Build foundations for peace

Build bridges

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Build integration

Leave a legacy by means of economy based

projects

8. Raising Money: Cities and their Diasporas

Kingsley Aikens (former Chief Executive,

Ireland Funds) made a presentation on theopportunities for cities to maximise value

from their Diaspora communities

Creating Indaba

At an indaba group in traditional African culture

people get together to sort out the problems that

affect them all, where everyone has a voice and

where there is an attempt to find a common mind or

a common story that everyone is able to tell whenthey go away from it.

In keeping with the values of the Forum for Cities in

Transition process, to facilitate sharing of knowledge

that leads to action in local situations, the structure

of the Derry~Londonderry conference was carefully

designed. The organisers were mindful of creating

a process that would allow the clear presentation of

expertise and experience by key actors as well as an

opportunity for people from different cities to share

their progress and challenges. Above all the aim was

to create meaningful human engagement on seriousissues.

To achieve an Indaba type experience the

programme used a combination of the following

methods:*

Presentations by each of the delegate cities

describing the background of the conflict

they have experienced, with challenges and

opportunities for progress identified

Presentations by individuals with proven

expertise and experience. Each panel had achairperson, and was represented by local

and external experts. The chair introduced

local experts to present the situation (specific

to the theme) as it is in Derry~Londonderry,

followed by the external experts to describe

how the issue has developed elsewhere. After

the presentations delegates broke up into

several working groups to discuss the topic

at hand. Each working group appointed a

rapporteur to report back to the subsequent

plenary discussion.

*See Appendix for Full programe timetable and contributors

Site Visits: To cover all geographical areas of

the city including both sides of the River Foyle

Workshop discussions

Plenary sessions

Sidebar meetings

Social events. The final evening broughttogether the delegates along with senior

local politicians, representatives from the

civic, business and community sectors,

civil servants, funders and international

guests. The Deputy First Minister, Martin

McGuiness, attended this event as well as the

Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Addresses were given by the Chairman of

the International Fund for Ireland, a Minister

of the Government of Ireland and Ministers

of the Northern Ireland Executive as well as

concluding remarks by Professor Padraig

OMalley (Director FCT).

To ensure the quality of input keynote and panel

contributions were made by individuals from the

following fields:

International stakeholders

Civic leaders

Government ministers and politicians fromboth unionist and nationalist parties

Expert practitioners and theorists

Academics

Community workers

Business and commerce

Government departments from Northern

Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the

British government

Funders

Delegate


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The inclusion of site visits in the programme

ensured that delegates had the opportunity to

see at first hand some of the social, cultural andeconomic initiatives that are being produced in

Derry~Londonderry, a city in transition. There

was scope for twelve different site visits. Thesewere presented as a menu choice, with conference

delegates choosing from one of four optionsavailable on each of the three days, in advance of theconference.

The following theme options were offered to

delegates to choose from:

1. Infrastructure (water, roads, utilities)

2. Conflict and Mental Health

3. Culture/Art and Conflict

4. Education (policy and practice)

5. Local Economy (urban regeneration)

6. Community dialogue (mediation)

7. Policing

8. Sport

9. Ethnic Minorities/New Arrivals

10. Tackling Poverty

11. Leadership in Conflict Transformation (e.g.Saville Inquiry)

Visits ultimately took place to:

The International School of Peace Studies

Oakgrove Integrated College

Re-imaging: Caw/Nelson Drive, LincolnCourt, Bonds Street

Bogside Artists

The Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall

An Gaelras, Cultrlann U Chanain (Irish

Language and Cultural Centre)

Conference Panellists

Nancy Soderberg

Lord Ken Maginess


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CHAPTER 3 - FROM INDABA TO ACTION

The greatest outcome from any conference is

an increase in knowledge that leads to practicalgrassroots action where the theoretical and the

practical fuel one another. A key constituent of everyForum for Cities in Transition conference is that the

final part of the event provides an opportunity foreach city to report to a plenary.

Such reports are not just about sharing reflections

and learning. The delegates from each city areinvited to list actions that they commit themselves to

ahead of the next conference. These are actions thatensure the journey to transition continues.

The Forum is explicitly grounded in there beingtangible outcomes at the close of each conference,

a commitment made by each city to carrying out a

project that will further transition, reconciliation,and development in its city or to help one of its sister

cities where its expertise in a particular area can beof significant benefit.

Commitments are designed so that cities on thehigher rungs of transition assist those on the lower

rungs so that divided cities collectively can do what

they cannot do individually. The process is reciprocalbecause in serving their sister cities, those further

along in transition are sharply reminded of wherethey once were, where they are now, and where

they hope to go in continuing their own processes oftransition and reconciliation.

At the final session of the 2nd annual

Forum for Cities in Transition conference inDerry~Londonderry, delegates from 12 participating

cities pledged over 20 outcomes to be completed inthe following twelve months.

That pledged outcomes become reality is illustrated

by the commitments made at Mitrovic/KosovskaMitrovica in May 2010 that are now completed or due

to be completed by the end of 2011 and include:

Derry~Londonderry hosted the FCT 2011conference

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

and its Kosovo counterparts completed ajoint policing partnership under which they

exchanged best practice; the PSNI hosted ateam of Kosovo police officials representing

both Kosovo/Albanian and Serbian officers in

May 2011.

The Haifa delegation will host members of

the local volunteer corps from both Mitrovic/Kosovska Mitrovica in Haifa and Jerusalem in

August 2011 to learn from cross community

youth initiatives that have proven successfulin bridging community divides in Haifa.

The McCormack Graduate School of

Policy and Global Studies, University ofMassachusetts Boston, placed Ardiana

Osmani and Milos Golubovic, in one of theSchools programs, beginning in September

2011.

The Northern Ireland Foundation (NIF),co-secretariat arm of the FCT conferred two

special citizenship awards, the highest thatthe Foundation can award, on Vuk Mitrovic

and Sanja Mrkic, as part of a study visit

to NGOs and the University of Ulster in N.Ireland in May 2011.

Establishment of a Womens Forum among

participated cities (ongoing).

Mark Durkan MP


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In accordance with the mission statement of theFCT, the emphasis of the Derry~Londonderry 2011conference was on the realization of practical

outcomes that would assist participating citiesimprove the daily lives of their citizens, as well asadd to the quality of life and enhance engagementbetween officials, NGOs, and residents.

Following extensive multilateral and bilateraldeliberations during the Derry~Londonderryconference, both in formal and informal sessions,

the following projects were pledged as the outcomesof the 2011 conference:

Kirkuk: Announced the City of Kirkuk will host the

FCT conference in 2012

University exchange with Northwest RegionalCollege Derry~Londonderry

Work with Kaduna and Ramallah onsectarianism issues

Explore the establishment of a fund similar tothe International Fund for Ireland (IFI)

Mitrovic / Kosovska Mitrovica: Continue the Kosovo Police Service (KPS)

~ Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

Training exchange Establish with Nicosia and

Derry~Londonderry a business program

Continue development and implementation ofthe Womens Forum

Derry~Londonderry: Continue the Kosovo Police Service (KPS)

~ Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)Training exchange

The local Forum Steering Group will convenefor a 24 hour residential to reflect on the

challenge to defeat sectarianism

Ramallah and Kaduna develop college linksand lectures (retired faculty) to run varioustraining classes. Possibility of granting

Kaduna students scholarships

Cultural Tourism European Union tourism -tourism office in Derry~Londonderry may begoing to visit some of your cities guests for

City of Culture 2013

Lead actions for reconciliation in all our cities

Mitte: Youth exchange with Nicosia: 5 Greek and

5 Turkish Cypriots to visit Germany and in

return send 5 Turk and 5 German youth toNicosia, Cyprus.

Beirut: Produce a film festival with Nicosia about

peace building and reconciliation: to engageall FCT cities

Exchange of volunteers between Beirut andNicosia

Policing Project with PSNI to focus on

protection of human rights

Ramallah: Host Muslims and Christians from Kaduna in

Ramallah to develop an exchange program

Develop Diaspora links for fundraisingassisted by Haifa

Belfast:

PSNI exchange includes Belfast Informal discussions to develop further links

with Derry~Londonderry

Mostar: Invited Director Padraig OMalley to Mostar

to meet with Mayor to gain Municipal

representation

Further train youth and professionals in artand cultural activities

Exchange activities for art in public spacesand identify possible donors with Playhousein Derry~Londonderry

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Delegate


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Jerusalem: Accessibility of postal services to residents

from East Jerusalem

Equalization for rights and services that are

given to school children in East and WestJerusalem (received an approval from the city

council for extra budget for this initiative)

2 new baby-clinics in East Jerusalem (since

last year, delegates opened 1 new clinic).

2 new welfare offices in East Jerusalem

Equalize the queuing time for Arabs and Jews

in municipal tax office

Equalizing salary for community social

workers from East Jerusalem

Implementation of a city regulation -

Free dental examinations for all children

(ages 6-16) including children from EastJerusalem.

Organize a local FCT in Jerusalem: with along conference or a long series of meetings

for high level officials, managers and deputymayors from East Jerusalem with community

leaders, religious leaders and activists

from East Jerusalem to share experiences,challenges (including challenges of working

with the other side) already partly funded.

Nicosia: Youth exchange with Mitte

Become engaged in Womens forum

Coordinate film festival with Beirut

Volunteer- Cultural exchange with Beirut

Kaduna: Derry~Londonderry for a learning visit re:

hosting the Forum in 2013

Invite IFI to visit Kaduna to explore the

possibility to set up a Kaduna Fund

Community exchange re: sectarianism with

Ramallah

Derry~Londonderry University Exchange

Haifa: Assist Ramallah with a platform for Diaspora

fundraising

Engage further with Womens forum, to hosta group of women in Haifa

Establishing a diverse multicultural center

for dialog. Research will be presented in 2012

All Cities: New City signatures to the Call to Action

All Cities will participate in a Film Festival

promoting reconciliation

Womens Forum

The ultimate arbiter of the effectiveness of the

Forum for Cities in Transition depends on the aboveoutcomes being translated into action.

Delegates unanimously agreed that the 2011conference had been another extraordinary event

and expressed their appreciation of the contributions

of all members of the organizing committee, the

Derry~Londonderry Forum in particular, ChairAngela Askin; FCT Founding Director, Padraig

OMalley; the FCT Secretariat; conferencecoordinators, Maiden Events; the generosity of

funders and many gracious volunteers.

15

Delegate

Angela Askin


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CHAPTER 4 - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

The Local Forum

One of the key values of the Forum at local levelis that it provides a framework for members from

very different traditions and backgrounds to build

relationships. As relationships grow it increases

the ability of members to discuss difficult issuestogether. It also makes it possible to plan action that

will support the transition journey.

The members of the Derry~Londonderry Forum

fulfilled their commitment to meet together for aresidential in October 2011. The purpose was to

reflect on the conference and to develop furthercollaborative action. An experienced facilitator, Doug

Baker, formerly a staff member with Corrymeela as

well as Mediation Northern Ireland, facilitated thisevent.

The Steering Group reflected on some issues that itcould make a contribution to in a meaningful way.

It was decided that the group should continue in

existence to fulfill the aspirations of the Forum forCities in Transition process at local level. Agreement

by members of the Derry~Londonderry Forum

arising from the residential included the followingpriorities / actions:

To learn from and contribute to the work of

groups in other Cities in Transition forum

To expand membership of the

Derry~Londonderry forum

To be a forum for safe discussion of hardissues impacting relationships in our city,

which will in turn inform each members

work

To take corporate initiatives to increase good

relations in our city

To facilitate public and/or private fora fordiscussion of difficult issues impacting

relationships in Derry~Londonderry

Group Session


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To take steps to develop more community

leadership. In discussion this was definedas those who could use their influence in

different sectors for reconciliation both in the

city and in an outward looking way with other

cities in the CIT Forum.

To encourage the development of a newgeneration of community leadership

To support a united responses after negative

/ violent incidents

Work on an agreement about the flying of

flags in the city

To develop a guide for community leaders on

dealing with sectarianism

To work on a code of conduct for use ofcontested or potentially divisive language by

organisations in the city

To promote discussion on dealing with the

past

To consider how to harness the possibilities

for peace building engendered after theresponse to the release of the Saville report

To promote understanding of each other

and trust between different agencies and

organisations

To produce a tool kit on how to organize a

conference for use by Cities in TransitionForum

In discussion there was an understanding that

providing experiences rather than resources is ofmost importance.

The City of Derry~Londonderry

The ultimate beneficiaries of the conference were

the citizens of Derry~Londonderry themselves. Theexposure to international delegates, the benefitsfrom associated practically based projects, potential

local business initiatives, media coverage and

awareness raising all served to show the citys

residents tangible benefits and greater pride in their

city. Some of the tangible benefits included:

A high calibre, international event placed the

spotlight on a relatively remote but leading

city on the edge of Europe

The conference provided a useful eventplatform in anticipation of the larger

organisation of UK City of Culture events in2013

Immediate and longer-term economic

benefits, from conference activity itself (circa

500,000 additional spending) and ancillarybenefits such as increased potential for

business investment, study exchanges and

international consultancy work

Many practical outcomes with lasting effectsincluding:

Regularising exchanges between

PSNI and Kosovo Police Service,

developing this outcome from FCT2011 conference

Enhancing existing exchanges

between PSNI and Garda Siochana,especially between Counties

Londonderry and Donegal

Invitation and facilitation of

representatives from youthorganisations from participating

Forum cities to be guest speakers

at Derry~Londonderry based youthorganisations

Further development of exchange

of knowledge and expertise indeveloping sports and leisure

facilities with Forum colleagues

Follow up to secure business and

investment opportunities generated

during the 2011 conference Establishment of a technical college

network among Forum participating

cities, for mutual development of

practical skills and jobs

Creation of a municipal officers

forum, among Forum participating

cities, to serve as a resource of

knowledge and advice for thedelivery of local services

Collaboration with universities,

to agree objective measures ofprogress of the actions undertaken

by the Forums participants

Delivering conflict resolution

techniques proven to work in

Derry~Londonderry to other Forum

cities. An example of this is the

distribution of mobile phones to anetwork of community leaders to

head off inter-communal flare ups

as well as the identification and

coaching of individuals from onecommunity allowed to communicateand work within another

communitys local programmes.

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Action is the process of doing something, typically to

achieve an aim. Forum for Cities in Transition eventsare about sharing of knowledge for a purpose for

action to take place that makes a difference. The factthat every conference builds towards commitments

to action being made by each city, including

Derry~Londonderry, shows that such events make a

tangible difference.

A willingness to embrace the principles embodied

in the Forum for Cities in Transition process is a

contribution to building peace and relationshipswith neighbours old and new. The Forum process

continues to provide a tangible opportunity for thecitizens of Derry~Londonderry, as well as the other

cities involved, to intentionally continue to take the

small steps that make the longer journey to peace.

Peace building can become a clichd concept.

That is until it is placed into a real context. Thenit becomes something both real and challenging.The years of The Troubles in Northern Ireland have

left a deeply wounded community, with profoundly

wounded people. This is an experience common toall the cities involved in the conference.

The 2011 Derry~Londonderry conference showed

that the city believed it had a story to share withregard to peace building. Peace and community

wellbeing are most often built by ordinary people inthe making of small decisions. That the local Forum

members rose to the challenge of hosting a major

international conference as well as delegates from

around the world feeling there was something to belearnt from this city is a testament to the journeyalready undertaken and the commitment to creating

the future. Can the gap be bridged? Peter Drucker

reminds us that the best way to predict the future isto create it!, and so the journey continues.


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APPENDIX

Conference Programme

SUNDAY 22 MayArrivals Registration

14:00 to 16:00Guided tours of Derry~Londonderry17:30 to 18:30Reception hosted by the Mayor ofDerry City Council

MONDAY, 23 May

07:00 to 08:00Breakfast Location: City Hotel

08:00 to 08:30Check in: Guildhall

08:30 to 08:45Opening Plenary Session

Welcome: Angela Askin, Chair of theDerry~Londonderry Forum,

Mayor of Derry City Council,

Conference Agenda, Goals and Aims: PadraigOMalley, Director FCT

08:45 to 10:15Panel Discussion: Northern IrelandPeace Process

Chair:

Quintin OliverPanellists:

Niall Burgess, Bairbre de Brn MEP, JeffreyDonaldson MP, Mark Durkan MP, Sir WilliamJeffrey Ken Maginnis the Lord Maginnis ofDrumglass & Ambassador Nancy Soderberg

10:15 to 11:00Workshop Discussions

Delegates break away in mixed groups withpanellist(s) for workshop style discussion on paneltopics Tea/coffee made available during workshop

discussions

11:00 to 11:30Plenary SessionChaired by a member of theDerry~Londonderry Forum, rapporteursreport back from workshop discussions

11:30 to 11:45Break

11:45 to 13:15Panel Discussion: EconomicDevelopment/Urban Regeneration

A panel discussion on the importance of thedimension of economic development in plans forreconciliation and conflict transformation.

Chair:

Jim RoddyPanellists:

Greg Clark, Mark Fuller, Aideen McGinley,Liam Nellis & Garvan ODoherty

13:15 to 14:15Lunch


Delegates break away in mixed groups withpanellist(s) for workshop style discussion on paneltopics Tea/coffee made available during workshopdiscussions

15:00 to 15:30Plenary Session

Chaired by a member of theDerry~Londonderry Forum, rapporteursreport back from workshop discussions

15:30 to 15:45Break

15:45 to 16:45Panel Discussion: The Role ofWomen in Transition Societies

A panel discussion on the importance of women inleading and developing transition in divided societies

Chair:

Avila Kilmurray

Panellists:

Christine Bell, Emanuela Del Re Valdete Idrizi& Zeina Mezher


Delegates break away in mixed groups withpanellist(s) for workshop style discussion on paneltopics Tea/coffee made available during workshop

discussions17:30 to 18:00Plenary Session


18:00 to 20:00Free Time

20:00 to 22:00Dinner

Venue: North West Regional College

TUESDAY, 24 May



09:00 to 10:30Panel Discussion: TransformingCommunities Through the Arts

A panel discussion on the practical applications ofthe visual and performance arts in transformingcommunities from conflict environments/dealingwith the past

Chair:

Pauline Ross

Panellists:Erik Ehn, Alice McCartney, Declan McGonagle& Mela Zuljevic


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Delegates break away in mixed groups withpanellist(s) for workshop style discussion on paneltopic Tea/coffee made available during workshopdiscussions



Parallel Session

09:00 to 11:15Cultural Tourism: A New EconomicDriver

Chairs:

Jim Roddy and Allan Leonard

An informal business round table discussionon how to create new local jobs and attractvisitors through collaborative communitybased strategies. Special guests: Mark Fuller

(CEO), Monitor Group and Shaun McCarthyMonitor Group, Cambridge, MA. Note: Nointerpretation provided

11:45 to 13:15New City Presentations

Kaduna, Ramallah, Mitte (Berlin)

13:15 to 14:15Lunch

Before lunch is served, Martin Melarkey (NerveCentre) will present videos of its work and officialdocumentary of the Forum for Cities in Transition (byJames and Petra Taylor)

14:15 to 16:45Site Visits

Delegates choose, in advance, from one of thefollowing available site visits for the day:

1. International School of Peace Studies; Re-imaging: Caw/Nelson Drive, Lincoln Court,Bonds Street

2. Bogside Artists; the Apprentice Boys MemorialHall

3. An Gaelras, Cultrlann U Chanain (IrishLanguage and Cultural Centre)


Chaired by a member of the

Derry~Londonderry Forum, rapporteursreport back from site visits

17:15 to 18:30Sidebar Meetings/Free Time

Time for ad hoc meetings among Forumparticipants, with optional facilitation by ForumSecretariat support


Venue: Da Vincis Hotel

Followed by optional social evening of viewingtelevised football match between NorthernIreland and the Republic of Ireland

WEDNESDAY, 25 May



09:00 to 10:30City Presentations/Updates

Member cities of Forum for Cities in Transition make

presentations (20 minutes each)Day Theme: Sharing this Space, sponsored by theInternational Fund for Ireland

Panel discussions on activities supported by theInternational Fund for Ireland (IFI), to promotepeace-building and reconciliation in Ireland

10:30 to 10:55Panel Discussion: BuildingFoundations

Chair:

Ken Gibson (Overview)

Panellists:

Una McKernan (Community LeadershipProgramme) & Kat Healy (Communities inTransition Programme)

10:55 to 11:30Workshop Discussions and Q&A

Delegates break away in mixed groups for workshopstyle discussion on panel topic, including Q&A withpanellists and other IFI-supported representatives.Tea/coffee made available during workshopdiscussions

11:30 to 12:00Break

12:00 to 12:25Panel Discussion: Building Bridges

Chair:Gerard McCoy (Overview)

Panellists:

Duncan Morrow (Community BridgesProgramme) & Caroline Rownan (WiderHorizons Programme)


Delegates break away in mixed groups for workshopstyle discussion on panel topic, including Q&A withpanellists and other IFI-supported representatives.Tea/coffee made available during workshop

discussions13:00 to 14:00Lunch

14:00 to 14:40Panel Discussion: BuildingIntegration

Chair:

John Carson (Overview)

Panellists:

Martin McDonald (Integrating CommunityOrganisations Programme), Andrew Bell(Sharing in Education Programme) &Jennifer Hawthorne (Shared Neighbourhood

Programme)14:40 to 15:15Workshop Discussions and Q&A

Delegates break away in mixed groups for workshop


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23

style discussion on panel topic, including Q&A withpanellists and other IFI-supported representatives.Tea/coffee made available during workshopdiscussions

15:15 to 15:45Break

15:45 to 16:10Panel Discussion: Economy-basedProjects; Leaving a Legacy

Chair:

Paddy Harte (Overview)

Panellists:

Paddy Harte (Economic cross-bordercase study) & Corrymeela Communityrepresentative (Corrymeela Legacy Project)


Delegates break away in mixed groups for workshopstyle discussion on panel topic, including Q&A withpanellists and other IFI-supported representatives.Tea/coffee made available during workshop

discussions16:45 to 17:30Plenary Session

Rapporteurs report back from workshop discussions

17:30 to 18:30Presentation: Raising Money: Citiesand their Diasporas

Kingsley Aikens (former Chief Executive, IrelandFunds) will make a presentation on the opportunitiesfor cities to maximise value from their Diasporacommunities

19:00 to 22:00Official Reception and Dinner

Venue: Beech Hill Country House Hotel

19:00 to 20:00Reception and entertainmentby Indigo


Welcome and MC: Angela Askin, ChairDerry~Londonderry Forum

Addresses: by Denis Rooney, Chairperson ofInternational Fund for Ireland, a Minister ofthe Government of Ireland and Ministers ofthe Northern Ireland Executive

Concluding Remarks: Padraig OMalley,Director FCT

THURSDAY, 26 May


08:30 to 09:00Check in: Guildhall09:00 to 10:30Panel Discussion: Conflict andMental HealthA panel discussion on the need to deal with PTSDand other mental injuries caused by conflict

Chair:

Brandon Hamber

Panellists:Lord John Alderdice, David Bolton, MarieBreen Smyth, Arlene Healey & Maureen

Hetherington


Delegates break away in mixed groups withpanellist(s) for workshop style discussion onpanel topic. Tea/coffee made available during theworkshop discussions


Chaired by a member of the Derry~LondonderryForum, rapporteurs report back from workshopdiscussions

11:45 to 12:45City Workshops

Delegates from each city confer to determineproposed outcomes to be delivered before FCT 2012annual meeting.

12:45 to 13:45Lunch13:45 to 14:30Plenary Session: ConferenceOutcomes

Chairs: Allan Leonard & Nancy Riordan.

City declarations of specific, small-scale projects to be delivered for theForums annual conference 2012 (eachcity nominates one delegate to makedeclaration).

Report from the FCT Womens Caucus.

Selection of host city for Forums 2012conference.

Review of a peer-monitoring system byeach city.

Other outcomes.

14:30 to 15:00Concluding Comments Michael Doherty

Brian Dougherty

Padraig OMalley

15:00 to 17:00FCT Business Meeting

Applicable delegates and Forum staff meeting, todiscuss next actions

15:00 to 17:00Free Time

19:00 to 22:00 Dinner

Venue: Mange2

FRIDAY, 27 May

International delegates depart


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The Forum for Cities in Transition wishesto gratefully acknowledge the generoussupport of funders including The Departmentfor Foreign Affairs, International Fund forIreland, Derry City Council, Monitor (Boston,US) as well as a number of anonymousdonors.

!"##$%&'$ %)*+%&,

This publication has received supportfrom the Northern Ireland Community

Relations Council which aims to promotea pluralist society characterised by equity,respect for diversity, and recognition ofinterdependence. The views expressed do notnecessarily reflect those of the Council.

Bridging the Gap

Editor: Earl Storey (www.topstorey.org)

Photographer: Allan Leonard

(www.nifoundation.net)

FCT 2011 Derry-Londonderry - Report

Documents

Transcript of FCT 2011 Derry-Londonderry - Report