Community leaders take part in US programme

Organised primarily by the US Consulate in Belfast and funded by the IFI, the Northern Ireland group visited 10 organisations in Chicago and 10 in Washington DC and Maryland. Group members also had the opportunity to arrange their own bespoke visits to organisations of interest to them in both cities.

Some of the highlights included a children's literacy project and homework club in Chicago called 826 Chicago www.826chi.org - a magical place that passed itself off as a spy centre hidden behind a shop front with the title 'Boring Store'. What a way to catch children's interest in learning. Also on the list was the Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugees Rights www.icirr.org which advocates for the rights and inclusion of immigrants. The group also visited Chinese and Hispanic organisations in Chicago.

Other visits included:

- Chicago Community Loan Fund www.cclfchicago.org

- City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations www.egov.cityofchicago.org

- We the People Media www.wethepeoplemedia.org

- Interfaith Youth Core www.ifyc.org

- Leadership Greater Chicago www.lgcchicago.com

- Center for Neighborhood Technology www.cnt.org

- Family Matters www.familymatterschicago.org

In America's capital, Washington DC, the highlights included a meeting with the Alliance of Concerned Men www.allianceofconcernedmen.com a remarkable group that have saved lives by bringing many gang feuds, particularly involving young black men, to an end. At the height of the violence around 500 people died annually in gun attacks as gangs battled each other and Washington used to be the worst US City for violent deaths. That has changed remarkably with no small help from this organisation.

The group also attended a breakfast at the US Chamber of Commerce organised by the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington www.nibureau.com. The Bureau did a really impressive job of promoting Northern Ireland to an event of 400 people including American politicians and business leaders. First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness spoke powerfully about the peace process and their unified position in the face of dissidents attempting to derail progress with the recent murders in Antrim and Craigavon.

Visiting projects in Maryland, the group also met with the very dynamic Governor Martin O'Malley www.gov.state.md.us who in his time as Mayor of Baltimore carved out a reputation for progressive change that effectively turned the City around from a run down former industrial town with ineffective services, to one which is now recognised as one of the top five in the US. As Governor, Martin O'Malley is now extending that success to the State of Maryland and there is little doubt there is a lot more to come from this politician.

Also visited in Washington DC and Maryland:

- East Baltimore Development Inc www.ebdi.org

- CHAI: Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc www.chaibaltimore.org

- US Hispanic Youth Entrepreneur Education www.ushyee.org

- Centro de la Comunicad Inc www.centrodlc.org

- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) www.lisc.org/washingtondc

- Aspen Institute www.aspencsg.org/rdp

- Life Pieces to Masterpieces www.lifepieces.org

- Ward 7 Arts Collaborative www.w7aconline.org