Sustainable Peace Network

“We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitute toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate — thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising,” Maya Angelou

The second phase of the Sustainable Peace Initiative reached its finale in 2006. Ten participants returned from South Africa after undertaking a five day wilderness trail and training at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch. This was mixed with community programmes around the Cape and reflects two years of hard work in getting the programme launched.

The programme’s focus brings together civic society representatives, ex-combatants and victims from the Northern Ireland “troubles” to create a sustainable peace programme, run concurrently with principals of environmental sustainability. Wilderness plays a key role in the process and is proven to be a neutral and powerful arena for participants to discover their common humanity and to move forward.

The Foundation, in conjunction with the Glencree Centre for Reconciliation, is jointly fundraising for each year of the initiative and is hosting a series of dinners in both Eire and London. We need to raise £100,000 over the next eighteen months to fund Phase 3 of this leadership initiative. Please contact the office if you feel able to support us of if you would like to attend and learn more about our work.