Press Release

Mayor welcomes Vital Voices group to the city

Monday 22nd October

Mayor Alderman Drew Thompson will host a reception for the international Vital Voices Global Partnership group who are visiting the city tomorrow as part of their ongoing initiative on Women Leaders Building Peace & Prosperity.

Launched initially in 2005, the initiative aims to develop strategies for community building and conflict resolution in the Middle East, South Africa and Northern Ireland.

During their visit to Northern Ireland, the group will engage with representatives from Israel and for the first time South Africa to develop strategies to address the role of women in peace negotiations, reconstruction and economic development, and community building across racial and religious barriers to combat structural inequalities and violence.

Welcoming the group to the city, the Mayor said,

“Vital Voices provide a unique platform for women from South Africa and Israel to benefit and learn from the experiences of women in Northern Ireland. The weeklong event will forge many links with a view to creating a better future for all in their societies. I am delighted to welcome the groups to the city and hope that they have a very pleasant visit during their time with us.“

The participants in the program come from various backgrounds, such as integrated school initiatives, joint community projects, economic empowerment programs, and legal perspectives, but all share vision for a better future in their societies.

Notes to Editor

Integrated into the week of training will also be hands-on site visits and one-on-one mentoring between women working on similar issues. Northern Ireland experts include Avila Kilmurray and Inez McCormack, Baroness May Blood, Maureen Hetherington, Prof. Gillian Robinson, Professor Paul Arthur and Liam Maskey, among many others.

Panel discussions on strategies for conflict resolution and building economic prosperity, as well as roundtable discussions with women political and community leaders will add to the program. These sessions will allow women from South Africa and Israel to benefit from the experiences of the women in Northern Ireland and promote shared learning between all participants. The goal of the training sessions will be to enable participants from Israel, Northern Ireland and South Africa to learn from each other, increase cross-regional networks of women, and teach others what they have learned when they return to their home countries.

The event is set to take place between the 21st - 26th of October both in Derry and Belfast.

The visit is being organised by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, in cooperation with Shatil, the African Initiative for Mediation, and Manuel Associates. For more information contact Virginia Manuel, President of Manuel Associates on 078 247 13064.

ENDS

For additional information contact:

Press Office

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