The memorials in our heads: the Im/material Monument (Gail Ritchie) by Allan LEONARD 11 April 2023 As the information sheet for Gail Ritchie’s exhibition, The Im/material Monument, points out, 25 years after the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement there is no memorial to commemorate the collective dead of the Troubles. Through a series of … Continue reading The memorials in our heads: the Im/material Monument (Gail Ritchie)
Offer of help with truth recovery process at Irish Council of Churches centenary service by Allan LEONARD 22 January 2023 The Irish Council of Churches (ICC) — an all-island body with membership from Protestant, Orthodox, Reformed, and independent church traditions — marked its centenary with a joint service of worship at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. … Continue reading Offer of help with truth recovery process at Irish Council of Churches centenary service
‘A Long Night’s Journey into Day’ — distinguishing process and progress of reconciliation in South Africa by Allan LEONARD 4 August 2022 As part of the Feile programme of events, and supported by the Department of Foreign Affair’s Reconciliation Fund, the award-winning documentary film about South Africa’s truth and reconciliation process, A Long Night’s Journey … Continue reading ‘A Long Night’s Journey into Day’ — distinguishing process and progress of reconciliation in South Africa
Considering Grace: An invitation to listen by Allan LEONARD 5 November 2019 Considering Grace, by Gladys Ganiels and Jamie Yohanis, is a new book that explores how Presbyterians responded to the Troubles, through a series of narratives from 120 people who tell their stories of how they coped with trauma and tests of their faith. … Continue reading Considering Grace: An invitation to listen
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
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
Transforming memories of war into memories of peace: Imagine Peace by Allan LEONARD 18 September 2018 Imagine Peace is a photography exhibition launched at Belfast Exposed as part of Good Relations Week, featuring artists Ingrid Guyon and Antonio Amador with their Colombian peacebuilding subjects. The exhibition is part of a creative peace project called “FUTyoURES”, … Continue reading Transforming memories of war into memories of peace: Imagine Peace
Never use memory (or lack thereof) to justify cruelty: Holocaust Memorial Day 2015 by Allan LEONARD 27 January 2015 For the Holocaust Memorial Day 2015, the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building, in cooperation with the Institute of Conflict Research, held a seminar event: “The Ethics of Memory and Community Recovery”. The speakers were Daniel … Continue reading Never use memory (or lack thereof) to justify cruelty: Holocaust Memorial Day 2015
The prevailing wisdom of A Love Divided by Allan LEONARD for Shared Future News 4 April 2014 Based on a true story, “A Love Divided” chronicles the aftermath of a mixed marriage in Co. Wexford, Ireland, where Protestant-raised Sheila refuses to send her children to a local Catholic school. She flees with her two young … Continue reading The prevailing wisdom of A Love Divided
Not a cosy conversation: Victims and survivors conference by Allan LEONARD for Shared Future News 25 February 2014 The Commission for Victims and Survivors (CVS) convened a conference “to listen to as many voices as possibinformingming its advice to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, the CVS Commissioner Kathryn Stone explained. … Continue reading Not a cosy conversation: Victims and survivors conference
