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With half the One Young World community living in a country affected by conflict, the world’s young leaders must grapple with the challenge of how to break down barriers to promote dialogue and reconciliation.
Bringing delegates from every region globally to Dublin, many of whom live in conflict, One Young World will offer young leaders an understanding of how peace is built and explore lessons learnt from the Northern Ireland peace process.
The One Young World Peace and Conflict Resolution Project will provide a platform for young people to share their stories and develop ideas which can strengthen efforts at conflict resolution in their own countries. A series of sessions over two days will explore concepts of peace and conflict resolution. The Peace and Conflict Plenary session will follow these three sessions:
- Special Session - Establishing the Northern Ireland Context
- External Breakout Session at Croke Park
- Special Session - International application and reflection
Participants and perspectives: Delegates offering different perspectives of conflict from:
- Iraq
- Israel & Palestine
- Ukraine
- Kashmir
- Northern Ireland
- Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Somalia
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Colombia
- South Sudan & Sudan
- Mali
- Central African Republic
- The Balkans
Northern Ireland
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Jackie McDonald is one of the most influential figures in Ulster Loyalism. He is a former Ulster Defence Association (UDA) prisoner currently working as a leading community activist in Northern Ireland. Sean Murray is a leading republican from Belfast. He is a former Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoner and is now a senior member of Sinn Fein – an all-Ireland political party and the largest Irish nationalist / Republican party in Northern Ireland. Sean was a member of the Sinn Fein delegation to the recent Haass-O’Sullivan mediated talks.
Historians
Philip Orr is author of a number of books and dramas that deal with aspects of Irish history, especially the Irish experience of World War 1 and the politics and culture of radical Protestants in the 18th Century. He has been involved recently in projects focusing on history and identity, mostly but not solely, with Northern Ireland’s loyalist community. Tom Hartley is an author, historian and politician. He was both the General Secretary and National Chairperson of Sinn Fein and became the second Sinn Fein Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2008. Since he retired from Belfast City Council he works to highlight the importance of Belfast City Cemetery as a repository of the political, social and economic history of Belfast.
Political Players
Dr Martin McAleese is a former member of the Republic of Ireland’s Seanad Éireann, commonly called the Senate, and the husband of the former President of the Republic of Ireland, Mary McAleese. Martin McAleese initiated a series of meetings with senior loyalist paramilitary leaders to further the peace process. In August 2011 he was appointed Chancellor of Dublin City University.
Professor Meghan O’Sullivan is a former assistant to the President of the United States and U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser on Iraq and Afghanistan from 2004 to 2007, spending two years in Iraq in total from 2003-2008 helping Iraqis build institutions after Saddam Hussein was removed from power. She was Vice-Chair of the 2013 talks in Northern Ireland to resolve remaining obstacles to peace. She is currently the Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.