Lost Lives: Beauty from sorrow by Allan LEONARD 1 October 2019 At Queen’s Film Theatre, Dermot Lavery and Michael Hewitt welcomed guests to a preview screening of Lost Lives, inspired by the acclaimed book of the same name, one which Lavery described as a monumental achievement: “Lost Lives was always at my side when I … Continue reading Lost Lives: Beauty from sorrow
Is ethical journalism possible in a contested place? by Allan LEONARD 27 May 2019 At a public lecture event hosted by the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, at Queen’s University, Professor Steven Youngblood (Director, Center for Global Peace Journalism, Park University, Missouri) discussed the ethics of journalism in a … Continue reading Is ethical journalism possible in a contested place?
Understanding irrationality to save the human race: Lord John Alderdice by Allan LEONARD 15 May 2019 The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University Belfast hosted a spring conference in honour of the 10th anniversary of the awarding of an honorary degree to President Daisaku Ikeda (President, Soka … Continue reading “Understanding irrationality to save the human race”: Lord John ALDERDICE
Doing our part: Dealing with bonfires by Allan LEONARD 9 May 2019 Greater Shankill Alternatives, which is part of a co-ordinating initiative on restorative justice across Northern Ireland, hosted a workshop session that explored various aspects of the tradition of bonfires and the organisation’s approaches of engagement with groups who construct these structures for annual … Continue reading Doing our part: Dealing with bonfires
Art in Trouble: Expressing Shankill’s story through creative participation by Allan LEONARD 28 March 2019 Billed as part of the Imagine! Festival, the Spectrum Centre hosted a European Arts Education Platform session, “Art in Trouble”, on how the people of the Shankill neighbourhood of Belfast have told their stories more recently, through a variety of … Continue reading Art in Trouble: Expressing Shankill’s story through creative participation
Book review — Don’t Mention the War (Vicky Cosstick) by Allan LEONARD 5 March 2019 Don’t Mention the War is an e-book by Vicky Cosstick, published by ChangeAware in association with Northern Slant, that aims to explore aspects of legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in a set of five chapters covering the peace process, … Continue reading Book review — Don’t Mention the War (Vicky Cosstick)
Bear witness for peace: International Peace Day 2018 by Allan LEONARD 21 September 2018 In support for International Peace Day and in conjunction with Good Relations Week and Culture Night Belfast, Belfast City Council hosted an event that featured a keynote speech by Rev. Trevor Williams, addresses by Councillor Tim Attwood, Susan Picken, Jennifer Skillen, … Continue reading Bear witness for peace: International Peace Day 2018
Another fine edition of our human books: Living Library by Allan LEONARD 17 September 2018 As part of Good Relations Week 2018, Belfast City Council hosted its seventh annual Living Library event, where public visitors come in to borrow a “human book” -- a person who sits across from you in a one-to-one storytelling session. … Continue reading Another fine edition of our human books: Living Library
Sustaining hope for peace: Global Conflict 2018 by Allan LEONARD 23 August 2018 In partnership with the University of Chicago and its Pearson Institute, Queen’s University Belfast hosted a two-day conference, “Global Conflict: The Human Impact”. This report recounts the first day’s events, which focussed on sharing learning from the peace processes in Northern Ireland … Continue reading Sustaining hope for peace: Global Conflict 2018
Reflected Lives: broadening the canvas of the past An oral history project at a Belfast interface by Allan LEONARD 10 April 2018 Joe O’Donnell (Strategic Director, Belfast Interface Project) told the audience that the auspicious date for today’s exhibition launch was no accident. With reference to the much-publicised conference at Queen’s University Belfast, featuring key … Continue reading Reflected Lives: broadening the canvas of the past
Coming to terms with our interdependencies #GFA20 by Allan LEONARD 10 April 2018 On the 20th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, it is easy to neglect the peace process that preceded it. My reference point is the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, because I learned about the efforts of then Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald the year before, … Continue reading Coming to terms with our interdependencies #GFA20
Rewrite our future! Washington Ireland Program Thanksgiving Ball 2017 by Allan LEONARD 25 November 2017 The Thanksgiving Ball has become an annual tradition of the Washington Ireland Program, held at this time of year in recognition of the generosity of families in America who host visiting participants. Tonight’s event, with several hundred attending at the … Continue reading Rewrite our future! Washington Ireland Program Thanksgiving Ball 2017
