L-R: Secretary Hillary R Clinton, former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, former US President Bill Clinton and Former Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland Bertie Ahern on stage at Queen’s University Belfast during the Agreement 25 conference at Queen’s.
Ukraine and Russia, Israel/Palestine, the Taliban in Afghanistan – across the world, conflict and the legacies of conflict dominate the headlines.
It’s easy to become pessimistic, and for depressing news to become the norm.
But in 2023 the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement suggests a different perspective for us all. A conflict that cost thousands of lives and saw many other people injured and traumatized was largely brought to an end through negotiation and compromise.
All sides had to yield ground. And it’s clear that much work still needs to be done in Northern Ireland to ensure the ongoing stability and peace that were secured.
But the achievement was an enormous one, and it must not be taken for granted.
The talks that produced the Agreement were chaired by US Senator George J. Mitchell, a towering figure in the Northern Ireland Peace Process. In his honour, Queen’s University Belfast in 2016 established the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.
The Institute pursues research and education aimed at understanding the dynamics of conflict, and learning how peace can be achieved and protected in practice.
It draws on many academic disciplines, but it also engages with practitioners, policy-makers, governments and peace-builders in an effort to contribute to real-world progress.
It helps train the next generation of students – from Northern Ireland and all around the world – so that the future can be more peaceful than the past.
And, inspired by Senator Mitchell and by all those who helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, the Mitchell Institute reflects Queen’s University’s commitment to try to secure a more peaceful world.
In the 1990s there was nothing inevitable about the achievement of peace in Northern Ireland. Practical choices and hard compromises were made, and relationships of dialogue were established between former enemies. In Belfast and around the whole world, the implications for a better world are clear.
To find out more about our Agreement 25 celebrations, including how to access the livestream of the event, visit the Agreement 25 website.
