Author: Allan LEONARD

Peacebuilding a shared Northern Irish society ✌️ Editor 🔍 Writer ✏️ Photographer 📸

Constructive journalism is ‘pressing, urgent, and needed everywhere’: inaugural B° Future Festival

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

Constructive journalism is ‘pressing, urgent, and needed everywhere’: inaugural B° Future Festival by Allan LEONARD 15 September 2023 The Bonn Institute hosted an inaugural, two-day B° Future Festival for journalism and constructive dialogue, held in the city’s LVR LandesMuseum. The first day for registered delegates was conducted mainly in English and discussed various dimensions of … Continue reading Constructive journalism is ‘pressing, urgent, and needed everywhere’: inaugural B° Future Festival →

Being churches together: celebrating a reconciling vision of hope

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

Being churches together: celebrating a reconciling vision of hope by Allan LEONARD 7 September 2023 A “Being Churches together in 21st Century Ireland” symposium took place at Dublin City University (DCU), as part of a number of events marking the centenary of the Irish Council of Churches (ICC) and 50 years since the Ballymascanlon talks … Continue reading Being churches together: celebrating a reconciling vision of hope →

A celebration of unionist culture

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

A celebration of unionist culture by Allan LEONARD 31 March 2023  A showcase day of unionist culture was held at 2 Royal Avenue, Belfast, with activities of a cultural identity video; a “living library” event; a talk by historian and broadcaster, Dr David Hume; an exhibition of archival footage by NI Screen of cultural events; … Continue reading A celebration of unionist culture →

The impermanence of land and legacy

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

The impermanence of land and legacy by Allan LEONARD 26 July 2023 Impermanence is a collection of essays by writers from or living in Northern Ireland. Its co-editor, Neil Hegarty led a discussion at a John Hewitt International Summer School event, with contributors Jan Carson, Susan McKay, and Nandi Jola, reflecting upon the book’s themes … Continue reading The impermanence of land and legacy →

GFA and Windsor Framework ‘tributes to complexity’: McDonagh at JHISS

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

GFA and Windsor Framework ‘tributes to complexity’: McDonagh at JHISS by Allan LEONARD 24 July 2003 At the opening address of this year’s John Hewitt International Summer School in Armagh, Bobby McDonagh, former Irish Ambassador to the UK and Permanent Representative to the EU, explored themes of the nature of identity, the beauty of complexity, … Continue reading GFA and Windsor Framework ‘tributes to complexity’: McDonagh at JHISS →

Opsahl Commission 30th anniversary: ‘civic poetry’ still yielding insights

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

Opsahl Commission 30th anniversary: ‘civic poetry’ still yielding insights by Allan LEONARD 4 July 2023  Laurence Simms (joint secretary of the British-Irish Secretariat) hosted a reception to mark the 30th anniversary of the Opsahl Commission, which invited and gathered oral and written submissions from individuals and civil society organisations about their suggestions for the way … Continue reading Opsahl Commission 30th anniversary: ‘civic poetry’ still yielding insights →

‘It’s about life and death’: Frampton vs Kielty

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

‘It’s about life and death’: Frampton vs Kielty by Allan LEONARD 25 June 2023 As the finale event of the Docs Ireland film festival, boxing legend Carl Frampton and comedian/presenter Patrick Kielty had a one-to-one conversation with an audience of over a hundred at the Cineworld complex, interspersed with clips from their documentary films and … Continue reading ‘It’s about life and death’: Frampton vs Kielty →

Acknowledging deep hurt and pain: Day of Reflection at Belfast City Hall

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

Acknowledging deep hurt and pain: Day of Reflection at Belfast City Hall by Allan LEONARD 21 June 2023 Belfast City Council hosted an annual Day of Reflection event for a second year, providing an opportunity for people and communities across the city to acknowledge the deep hurt and pain caused by the conflict in and … Continue reading Acknowledging deep hurt and pain: Day of Reflection at Belfast City Hall →

‘Forcing carers out of work doubly disastrous’: Good Morning Ulster interview with Allan Leonard

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, Audio, Team Bev

'Forcing carers out of work doubly disastrous': Good Morning Ulster interview with Allan Leonard 5 June 2023   Joel TAGGART: Now many of Northern Ireland's unpaid carers are begging for help for greater support from the health service. They're at breaking point and calling for more opportunities for a short-term break from caring, or respite … Continue reading ‘Forcing carers out of work doubly disastrous’: Good Morning Ulster interview with Allan Leonard →

‘Our voice is starting to be heard’: On Your Behalf interview with Allan Leonard

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, Audio, Team Bev

‘Our voice is starting to be heard’: On Your Behalf interview with Allan Leonard 22 April 2023   Linda MACAULAY: Now, there was a call this week from Northern Ireland MLAs for Stormont officials to begin work on a strategy to help thousands of unpaid carers. The letter to the Department of Health's permanent secretary, … Continue reading ‘Our voice is starting to be heard’: On Your Behalf interview with Allan Leonard →

Transmitting photographic energy of colour and love: Hannah Starkey’s Northern Ireland peace women

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole, Essays, Photography, Work

Transmitting photographic energy of colour and love: Hannah Starkey’s Northern Ireland peace women by Allan LEONARD 4 June 2023 As part of the Belfast Photo Festival and in partnership with the Ulster Museum, artist Hannah Starkey gave a talk about her previous work and current exhibition on display, Principled and Revolutionary: Northern Ireland’s Peace Women. … Continue reading Transmitting photographic energy of colour and love: Hannah Starkey’s Northern Ireland peace women →

‘A long-term devotion to complexities’: women, art and activism

Posted on by Allan LEONARD in @MrUlster, @SharedFuture, @SluggerOToole

‘A long-term devotion to complexities’: women, art and activism by Allan LEONARD 3 June 2023  As part of the Belfast Photo Festival and hosted by the Ulster Museum, several panels of women spoke about how the realms of artistic practice and activism have evolved over recent decades, with consideration of future change. National Museums NI … Continue reading ‘A long-term devotion to complexities’: women, art and activism →