Aims & Objectives

PROGRAMME AIMS

• To give participants both an overview of, and an insight into, the underlying causes of conflict¹
• To help develop a culture of justice and human rights
• To better equip citizens to play an active role in peace building

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES  

1. To develop a sense of active citizenship based on human rights and justice for all² 
2. To underscore the view of democracy as a conflict resolving process³  
3. To build awareness and understanding of the differences within and between the various perspectives⁴ that have been in conflict⁵  
4. To underscore the contested nature of History and its role in shaping perception⁶  
5.  To explore the circumstances that fracture civil society to the point where people adopted a ‘war’ as opposed to a ‘peace’ orientation⁷  to resolving conflict

 ^{1 epilogues explores conflict in it’s broadest terms through specific exploration of the violent political conflict in and about “Northern Ireland”. 2 This sense of citizenship is necessarily holistic and such citizens embrace with their rights, a reciprocal responsibility towards the rights of the ‘other’. 3 Within this internationally respected view of democracy it is by a state upholding Human Rights & Justice that it reinforces its legitimacy (to manage the conflict resolving process) strengthening public confidence in its rule of law and consequently its right to hold a monopoly (on behalf of the citizenry) on the use of force. 4 (Unionist/Loyalist, Nationalist/Republican and British/State Security Forces). 5 and so the potential for forging new alliances in peace building. 6 in particular our perception of ’ourselves’ (our identity) and the ‘other’. 7 particularly in addressing the necessary tension between the ideal of democracy and its political reality in a given time and place}