NWMF volunteer Anastasiia Shevchenko and NWMF Integration and Welfare Officer Gaëlle Gormley at this morning’s PEACEPLUS event in the Everglades Hotel.
THE North West Migrants Forum was among several community groups from across the Derry City and Strabane District Council area to attend a PEACEPLUS networking event this morning.
The delivery of the Local Council’s Co-Designed Action Plan is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
The Migrants Forum currently has two live PEACEPLUS programmes – an Intercultural Cafe and the Intercultural Cross-Border Inclusion Programme which is in partnership with Rural Community Network, Donegal Intercultural Platform, Irish Network Against Racism and Multi-Ethnic Sports and Cultures NI.
The purpose of this morning’s event was to communicate and share learning between projects, to give peer support and strengthen capacity for engagement and cross-community peace-building work. PEACEPLUS Board Members facilitated tables highlighting opportunities for engaging geographically across rural and urban areas, across diverse identities and on ideas development for peace-building content in project programming.
Sue Divin, DCSDC PEACE Programme Manager, said, “There are 58 local funded projects currently being delivered through Council’s PEACEPLUS Action Plan. Over 9,255 people will benefit from taking part. At a time when funding is really tight for the community and voluntary sector, it’s fantastic to have a positive news story about how this funding stream is really making a difference locally.”
Sharon Doherty is the current Chair of the PEACEPLUS Board.
She added, “The £8 million investment covers projects on themes as diverse as sport, arts, history and heritage, community refurbishments, capacity building, culture, dialogue, wellbeing, addiction support, mental health, environment, rural transport, music, dance, Irish language and human rights. Whether you are old, young or young at heart, there’s something for everyone across the Council area.”
Notes to Editors
- The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
- PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding Programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The total value of PEACEPLUS is €1.14 billion.
- PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
