Co-operation Ireland partnered The Global Peace foundation to host the Global Peace Leadership Conference Belfast 2016
It was a unique opportunity to examine the urgent ethical challenges of our time and to advance models of peacebuilding. While the response to violence and terrorism may include negative reactions like ethnic nationalisms and hatred, xenophobia, and local conflict, it can also catalyze innovative approaches that counter violent extremism through building cohesion, social justice and positive peace within our diverse and pluralistic societies.
The Venue of the Conference was Riddell Hall Belfast
The three-day conference will provide an important global forum for government, civil society, academic and business leaders and practitioners to examine the tension between promoting a shared identity and embracing diversity; explore relevant values-based approaches to addressing identity-based conlicts and building a shared future; and discuss a framework for advancing peace and social cohesion. Our participants will explore these relevant thematic streams:
- From identity-based conflicts to a shared future
- Refugees, migration, and building social cohesion
- Linking the global and the local: the role of civil society
Speakers and participants will include faith-based, civil society and youth leaders from East and West Africa, South Asia, and all of Ireland, as well as other international delegates — all of whom are working within their own spheres of influence to mitigate violence and build peace.
The conference will provide an exciting mix of plenary lectures by global figures, academic presentations, and practitioner engagements, site visits and case studies.
The theme of ethical leadership in dealing with global crises will be directly addressed in plenary sessions but further pursued through the three sub-themes that will form streams to link the many sessions.
Quote from Dr Mary Honan. “It was an extraordinary event spearheaded by many fabulous people but not least the wonderful Dr Alan Largey and Barry Fennell from Co-operation Ireland.”
Quote from Mr David Caprara, >Vice-President, Strategic Partnerships, GPF: “Adding my deep thanks to you and Cooperation Ireland for incredible partnership, and for a life changing experience for both myself and Collette (thanks for inviting her up in the report-out).”
You can read the Conference Outcomes here.