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Sharing This Space
In January 2006, the International Fund for Ireland launched a new five year strategy called ‘Sharing This Space’ aimed at promoting reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border counties.
The aim of the Sharing This Space strategy is to encourage people to live together more amicably by supporting contact, dialogue and reconciliation between nationalists and unionists throughout Ireland, and to promote reconciliation through economic growth and social development in disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland and the border counties.
Although much progress has been made in the region, major challenges remain as both communities are still suffering from chronic deprivation, marginalisation, high levels of criminality and isolation. Levels of mobility within and between the communities are low, and low levels of trust and confidence undermine efforts to establish a healthy civic society.
The next few years are likely to be crucial if the peace process is to be secured on the ground and in the hearts and minds of the population.
The Fund will therefore have as its focus for the period 2006-2010:
helping to build and realise the vision of a shared future in Northern Ireland and the border counties
promoting understanding between the different communities
working with those communities suffering the greatest economic and social deprivation using economic concerns as a platform for stronger relations with their neighbours
facilitating more integration between the communities
dealing with the problems of the economically inactive and long-term unemployed
building strong strategic alliances with other agencies and bodies active on the ground, ensuring that efforts are complementary, sustainable and mutually reinforcing
ensuring the long-term continuation of its work in Ireland beyond the lifetime of the Fund
sharing the expertise and learning acquired over the past three decades with peace-builders in other regions.
The Sharing This Space strategy aims to make the Fund more flexible and responsive to the evolving and complex environment in which it works, while retaining its strong focus on reconciliation. It will enable the Fund to target the areas of greatest need, to ensure that its work is sustainable in the long-term and to celebrate 25 years of international engagement with peace in Ireland.
To read the Sharing this Space strategy document in full, please click here.
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© 2007 International Fund for Ireland