MEDIA DIARY NOTICE: MONDAY, 6 DECEMBER 2021
WHAT: The launch of Shared Island, Shared Practice, a new all-island initiative that will bring together communities from across the island to discuss solutions to their shared challenges. The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) and The Wheel, Ireland’s national association of charities will be leading the initiative which is jointly funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs through the Reconciliation Fund and the Department for Communities.
WHEN: Monday 6 December 2021, 10am-12pm
WHO: The event will include contributions from Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deirdre Hargey MLA, Minister for Communities.
WHY: Over the next nine months, The Wheel and NICVA will facilitate a series of dialogues between community and voluntary groups North and South of the border to identify emergent local, regional, and all-island responses to challenges such as:
- rural sustainability
- recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic
- developing the island economy
- digital inclusion; and
rural sustainability
- recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic
- developing the island economy
- digital inclusion; and
- achieving a just transition to a de-carbonised island.
The initiative will identify and promote community-led responses that promote shared-island economic and social collaboration. A series of podcasts will explore each of the above mentioned- issues, and highlight relevant collaborations North and South.
The Irish Government’s Shared Island initiative aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding on the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future.
As part of the Shared Island research programme being progressed by the Shared Island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach, the National Economic and Social Council is undertaking a programme of research to produce a comprehensive report to inform the development of the Shared Island initiative as a whole-of-government priority (Shared Island: Projects, Progress & Policy, Scoping Paper, No.153 February 2021). In the scoping paper defining this work, NESC acknowledges the “important role of civil society” and notes the “extensive co-operation between civil society and community organisations across the island of Ireland and Britain, reflecting North-South and East-West interests”.
Interviews are available with Deirdre Garvey CEO of The Wheel and Seamus McAleavey, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA). Contact Gert Ackermann, Communications Manager at The Wheel on 086 1769287 or at gert@wheel.ie
#SharedPractice #SharedIsland
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