Inaugural Peace and Conflict International Summer School in Derry

Derry has successfully hosted its inaugural Peace and Conflict International Summer School.

Organised by the Bloody Sunday Trust, the Conflict Transformation Seminar took place from Monday, June 5 to Monday, June 12.

During the groundbreaking event, the Derry News interviewed a diverse range of participants to get their views on the Derry Model of peace-building and conflict transformation and its possible application in other areas, particularly the Balkan regions.

Bloody Sunday Trust to host the  first ever Derry Peace and Conflict International Summer School

'International view which looks at Derry as a place that tackles injustice, promotes equality and delivers outcomes' - Maeve McLaughlin

The participants attending the inaugural Derry Peace and Conflict International Summer School were from the Balkans Regions, all high profile human rights and social justice activists.

They were: Valentina Gagić (co-founder of Sara-Srebrenica); Teresa Vazquez (Director of Development, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience); Sofija Todorovic (Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Serbia); Nebojsa Glisic (B92 Fund, youth activism); Marko Klajic (Program Director, Post-Conflict Research Center); Marigona Shabiu (Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Human Rights - Kosovo);  Justine Di Mayo (Senior Program Manager for the Global Networks department); Dževada Šuško (Chief-of-Office, International Cooperation and Bosniak Diaspora at the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina); Branka Vierda (Program Director, Youth Initiative for Human Rights - Croatia); and Amina Krvavac, (Executive Director, War Childhood Museum).

“Our participants are all high profile human rights and social justice activists in their own rights,” said Maeve McLaughlin, “and we are delighted to be welcoming them to Derry.

“A very powerful week” was Maeve McLaughlin’s description of Derry’s inaugural Peace and Conflict International Summer School.

A reflective Maeve, who is the director of the Bloody Sunday Trust, said it was a significant event for both the Trust and the city.

She said: “I am just reading some of the evaluations from our participants today and they are talking about the whole experience as being ‘invaluable’ and ‘inspirational’.

“There is no doubt that, in terms of their perceptions of Derry and the North of Ireland when they entered the process, these had changed by the time they were leaving.

“I certainly hope they got a sense that this place we call home has actually delivered. I hope they left with a sense that Derry has actually achieved outcomes in relation to things like justice, legacy, parading and dialogue.

“They definitely got great access to people here. People were very, very generous with their time, should that have been former combatants, the Apprentice Boys or the Bogside Residents’ group.”

The Summer School participants also  spent a day in Belfast where they met some of the Loyalist groupings.

“We also had a joint session with the Falls Women’s Centre and the Shankill Women’s Centre,” said Maeve. “So, all in all, it was powerful that the Trust was able to bring all of those groups of people together.

“I would hope we could look at making this an annual event and using it for other places internationally that are maybe struggling with their own coming out of conflict, so we can become maybe a model of lessons and learnings for other places.

“I think it was great to be part of this event. The participants enjoyed it and there  is a lot of follow up we can do. For example, we will look now at some of the particular participants and their organisations. There may be projects we can now link up on.

“It was a very powerful experience for us, a powerful experience for the participants and, I think, the panellists, who met with our visitors as well.

“For Derry to be able to show the city in that way, as a place that stands up against inequality, struggles for social justice but can put it in an international context and can apply our lessons and learnings elsewhere, was amazing.”