News

When William Butler Yeats said "…peace comes dropping slow", he could have had no idea how slowly it would come in Northern Ireland. A particularly good example of this is the long awaited replacement to former the "A Shared Future" policy - known as the "Cohesion, Sharing and Integration Strategy".

Just two days after young people from WIMPS interviewed the Policing Board Chairman, Barry Gilligan, their headquarters has been attacked by a dissident republican group.

The Peace Channel Launch on 9 November 2009 was a huge success. Over 60 young people and 30 practitioners, policy makers and others gathered at the Crumlin Road Gaol for the event to hear the Lord Mayor launch the Channel and young people talk about the films they made in their commmunities.

English soldier, Corporal Joe Glenton faces a Court Marshall for refusing to go back to Afghanistan. He has written to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown to explain his actions. He said, “I went out to Afghanistan to do something positive but I came back disillusioned. I went AWOL for two years and now have a court martial pending!”

After only a few months in office, US President, Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. What do you think about this?

The WIMPS Peace Channel will be launched at the Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast on Monday 9 November, by City Mayor, Councillor Naoimi Long, MLA. Young people from Ballymurphy, Springmartin, White City and Greencastle, will show the films they have been making in their communities, to highlight the impact of the Belfast 'Peace Walls' on their lives.

The WIMPSmobile was launched by Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie MLA in July this year. The new vehicle, packed with high-end equipment allows us to make films with young people in their communities.

So far the Northern Ireland Executive has failed to agree a policy for improving community relations. Indeed it appears that the Democratic Unionist and Sinn Fein teams have been developing separate policies - so much for 'A Shared Future'!