Designing Peace III

A third European peace programme should be rolled out in Ireland early in 2007 with funding of about €700 million (approximately £475 million).

Unlike the present peace programme, which emphasises economic development, it should focus on peace and reconciliation, says Designing Peace III, a new report by NICVA and the Community Workers Co-operative .

Designing Peace III (321Kb)

“This is needed because Northern Ireland society remains divided and segregated in its patterns of living, housing, education and services, and sectarian attitudes remain entrenched ,” said NICVA Chief Executive, Seamus McAleavey.

“Clearly there is still a huge amount of peace and reconciliation work to do, much of which can best be undertaken by voluntary and community organisations. It cannot be said that the social, economic, security and sectarian consequences of the Troubles have yet been fully undone .”

There is strong support for the involvement of the EU, which can provide a neutral authority, expertise and vision in designing a new programme. However, the British and Irish governments should make a strong commitment to funding peace building work in the long term.

The report demands a cut of 80% in the bureaucracy of the next peace programme and notes that the share of funding devoted to administration rose from 2% in Peace I to 9% in Peace II.

Funded projects should be cross-community, promoting groups that wish to engage with one another and ethnic minority groups should be explicitly included.

Peace III should promote a socially inclusive society based on values of community development, equality, justice, social capital, citizenship and democracy.

The report recommends that half the budget should go to peace and reconciliation work, one quarter to economic and social regeneration of communities most affected by the conflict and a quarter to cross-border work and projects throughout the world.


For more information please contact Paul McGill at NICVA:

Paul McGill
028 9087 7777