The Landmark

​The Leading with Peace and Purpose programme represents a significant investment in the future of public service leadership across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. 

By fostering collaboration, innovation and shared learning, this initiative strengthens relationships and builds the capacity needed to deliver transformative public services for our communities.

It is a shared commitment to peacebuilding and long-term cooperation, ensuring civic leaders are equipped to meet complex challenges with vision and purpose. 

Landmark is also a forward-looking initiative that will leave a legacy of partnership and progress across both jurisdictions.

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​The Landmark is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Funding has been awarded under the PEACEPLUS Empowering Communities (Strand 2) Institutional Capacity Development Programme, part of the wider PEACEPLUS theme designed to build peace and support long-term collaboration across public life. 

It is also supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. in partnership with the Special EU Programmes Body.

​The Landmark, Leading with Peace and Purpose programme supports public service leaders at the highest level. These individuals hold pivotal roles in delivering essential public services at a time of unprecedented volatility and unpredictability. It is more important than ever we invest in their development and create conditions in which they can collaborate and lead with confidence.

We want to see strong, connected system leaders who work across boundaries to deliver real and lasting benefits for citizens. By bringing them together and connecting them with best practice internationally, we can help build the leadership capacity our public services need for the future.

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Pictured above (left to right) are David Burns, CEO Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Michael Rainey, CEO, Laois County Council, Warwick Thorn, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Social Protection.

​This project brings together 60 senior leaders from 30 organisations across Northern Ireland and Ireland to strengthen leadership and collaboration. It represents a significant investment in skills that will deliver better public services and tangible benefits for people across the region.

It involves two groups of 30 leaders, taking part in four-in-person learning days across the island of Ireland. 

A key component will see both cohorts hosted in a leading UK academic institution as an integral part of the programme, providing opportunities to learn from international best practice, while fostering collaboration across sectors.

​This investment helps to develop the kind of confident, connected leadership essential to sustaining peace and delivering better outcomes for communities right across the island. It will inspire and support better public policy decision making by teaching current and future leaders to combine deep expertise with practical skills, equipping them to tackle the most pressing policy challenges.

​Landmark will help foster trust-based relationships, encourage collaborative learning and will support institutional resilience across the island. Key strategic impacts will include enhanced high-level public sector decision making via cross border dialogue and sustained peace through the establishment of strong personal networks. 

It will enable cross-border leaders to navigate shared societal, economic and political challenges in a way that has never been done before. It also acts as a new model for transformational leadership contributing to future readiness across public services in anticipation of whatever challenges may lie ahead. 

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Pictured above (left to right) is Moira Doherty, Permanent Secretary of the Executive Office with Michelle Reynolds, CEO, Anam Cara Parental and Sibling Bereavement Support 

​The programme will be supported by Create Express, a leading international leadership and development firm.

It will be led by Jim Breslin – Former Secretary General, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Dublin, Peter May – Former Permanent Secretary, Peter McBride, Advisor and Coach, Cora Robinson, CEO, Create Express

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Pictured above (​Left to right), Jessica Crisp, Co-operation Ireland, Anne Dickson, CEO, Chief Executive Forum, Emma  Project Manager, Co-operation Ireland, Paul Boylan, Director of Services, Co-operation Ireland, Carol Dunbar, Head of Civic Society Team, Co-operation Ireland and Jane McDowell, Chief Executive Forum.