Young people in Belfast have been taking part in a project looking at division in historically deprived communities
Young people have said that to move forward with peace in Northern Ireland, we have to talk about the “elephant in the room” of respecting other people’s opinions and views.
Sixteen young people aged 16 to 20 from Belfast’s Clonard and Shankill communities have returned from a trip to Cyprus, where they shared their history of division while hearing first-hand accounts of conflict and resilience from their Cypriot peers.
The trip was part of the Wall2Wall project, managed by Springboard Opportunities, which has been working with young nationalists and unionists from either side of the Cupar Way peace wall in Belfast. The cross-community project has been looking at ongoing division in areas historically suffering from social and economic deprivation.
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At its core, Wall2Wall examines the legacy and trauma associated with Peace Walls by giving young people a voice. Its funded through the International Fund for Ireland’s (IFI’s) Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP) and works with some of the most at-risk young people who come from challenging backgrounds.
The programme has facilitated a space to help shape a better understanding of different cultures as well as encouraging leadership and personal development skills. Participants explore their beliefs, challenge inherited narratives, and articulate their vision for what the future should look like.
Whilst physical divisions remain in Northern Ireland and in Cyprus, communities are struggling with similar issues. Creating a safe space for dialogue has enabled participants to deepen their understanding and develop new ways of thinking.
Caitlin, 18, from the Clonard area of West Belfast, had no experience of engaging with the Protestant community before joining the Wall2Wall programme. She said: “Meeting young people experiencing the Greek and Turkish Cypriot divide was transformative.
“Looking at their history and comparing it to our own made me think about how far we’ve come at home, but that there is still a lot of work left to be done.
“Wall2Wall has taught me, if we are to move forward with peace, we have to be able to talk about the elephant in the room through understanding and respecting other people’s views and opinions, whether you agree with them or not.”
Stephen, 19, from the Shankill area of Belfast, has lived near a Peace Wall all his life. He described the Cyprus trip and the project as one of the best experiences of his lifetime.
“I want to keep learning, exploring who I am, where I come from, and what my community could look like in the future.
“Wall2Wall’s given me a sense of purpose, and I want to pursue a career in youth work, supporting other young people to challenge themselves as I did, but also for them to look at me as a change that can happen.”
Steph O’Rourke, Executive Director at Springboard Opportunities, said: “Wall2Wall is about creating a space for young people to have autonomy of their future, by first understanding why the walls in people’s heads feel as real as the ones in Cupar Way.”
Alongside their Cypriot peers, the Belfast participants identified three shared experiences: the role of peace barriers in both protecting and separating communities; the strong influence of intergenerational stories that have shaped their identity and view of Peace Walls to date; and the need to include young people from deprived backgrounds in important community dialogue issues going forward.
These shared experiences helped build new relationships across the Cypriot border and reinforced the importance of peacebuilding and cross-community work.
The UN buffer zone, dividing Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities since 1974, is where the group directly engaged with local youths who navigate similar complexities living in segregated spaces.
Steph continued: “We have been able to encourage young people to see beyond the walls that they have lived in the shadow of for so many years, developing a better understanding of how to positively influence or shape local communities.”
Back in Belfast, the group is set to continue their journey, rolling out a Christmas-themed family fun day, hosted in a shared space beside the peace line.
These efforts will include peer-led consultations to help further amplify the feelings of youth on issues that will affect their future, whilst also equipping the young leaders with leadership skills and confidence to hold conversations in their communities.
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