Peacebuilding a shared Northern Irish society
Navigating fraught legacies with trauma-informed archival practiceby Allan LEONARD24 February 2026 The Quill Project recently hosted a comprehensive event focusing on the examination of archival practice, care, and ethical responsibility in a post-conflict context. Hosted by the Quill Project — a digital humanities research enterprise based at Pembroke College, Oxford, which is currently focused on... Continue Reading →
The power of peacebuilding: McAleese’s personal toll and Hume’s enduring call for dialogueby Allan LEONARD20 February 2026 The John and Pat Hume Foundation recently hosted a significant gathering at Clonard Monastery to reflect on the enduring legacy of John and Pat Hume in achieving peace and reconciliation in Ireland. Father Ciaran O’Callaghan, Vice-Director of Clonard,... Continue Reading →
Peace photography: supporting conflict transformationby Allan LEONARD13 June 2025 At an online session organised by Dr Tiffany Fairey, a senior research fellow at King’s College London, participants gathered to explore the intersection of photography and peace. The event brought together a range of experts and practitioners to discuss how photography can foster cultures of peace... Continue Reading →
The vital role of archives for reconciliationby Allan LEONARD12 June 2025 Archives serve as repositories of our collective memory, housing documents, artefacts, and other historical materials that help societies understand their past. In a recent panel discussion, experts from various fields came together to discuss the significance of archives in reconciliation processes, including how community... Continue Reading →
Exploring cultural peace work in Northern Irelandby Allan LEONARD15 May 2025 Cultural peace work entails using creative and cultural practices to foster peace and reconciliation, particularly in post-conflict societies. In Northern Ireland, various organisations and individuals are harnessing the power of arts and culture to address deep-seated issues from a history of sectarian violence. In... Continue Reading →
‘A feasible bite out of a big apple’: outcomes from ARINS/Irish Times North–South surveys 2024by Allan LEONARD13 March 2025 The ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland, North and South) project recently held its first event in Belfast, focusing on constitutional futures and the socio-political landscape of a potential United Ireland. After a keynote presentation by Professor... Continue Reading →
‘Imagine a time we can draw hope together’: dreams and visions from Korean children by Allan LEONARD 8 January 2024 From 8–12 January, Ulster University hosted at its Belfast York Street campus an exhibition of drawings by children of Korea and its diaspora. The drawings were created as part of programmes in partnership with Okedongmu... Continue Reading →
‘A floating process’: drafting the Downing Street Declaration by Allan LEONARD 6 December 2023 The thirtieth anniversary of the Downing Street Declaration was marked by a panel discussion organised by ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland, North and South) and held at the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) in Dublin. RIA member Professor Katy Hayward chaired the... Continue Reading →
Free press crucial for transformative justice in Venezuela: a talk with Luis Carlos Díaz by Allan LEONARD 30 October 2023 Luis Carlos Díaz, an accomplished journalist from Venezuela and deemed a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was a guest keynote speaker at an event organised by the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE) at Ulster... Continue Reading →
GRACE: measuring trust for better community relations by Allan LEONARD 21 September 2023 On the International Day of Peace, as part of Good Relations Week, research undertaken through a partnership between the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (Coventry University) and Community Relations in Schools (CRIS) was launched. The research examines the role of... Continue Reading →
‘Building anew’: sharing lessons of transition in Germany and Ireland by Allan LEONARD 4 October 2023 A conference to mark Germany Unity Day was held at the Royal Irish Academy, co-hosted by ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland, North and South), Maynooth University, and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dublin. Two panel... Continue Reading →
Addressing the evil of sectarianism: Bill Shaw on life, faith, and hope by Allan LEONARD 20 September 2023 The retreat and conference centre run by the Passionate community, Tobar Mhuire, was the venue for a guided interview with Bill Shaw, presented as an opportunity “to explore their experience of life, faith, and where they find... Continue Reading →