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Northern Ireland peacemakers visit UO campus, share lessons from the streets
A Catholic and a Protestant from the front lines present a public lecture on May 21
EUGENE, Ore. -- (May 12, 2008) -- Peacemaking is often seen as the sphere of politicians and diplomats, and headlines and prizes tend to concentrate on those who are in the public eye.
In Northern Ireland and many other places around the world, peace efforts are contingent on the hard work done at the grassroots level.
Michael Doherty, director of the Peace and Reconciliation Group (PRG) in Derry, Northern Ireland, and his colleague, Brian Dougherty, director of St. Columb’s Reconciliation Center in the same town, Londonderry, are coming to Eugene to talk about their work and the nitty-gritty details of conflict resolution.
Michael, a Catholic, and Brian, a Protestant, have been on the front line of mediation, negotiation, education and cross-community bridge building in Northern Ireland. Collectively they have decades of experience working at some of Northern Ireland’s most complex and contentious flashpoints.
They will discuss the dynamics of this complex topic at a public presentation, " The Pragmatics of Peacemaking: Lessons from the Streets of Northern Ireland," at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. The free event will be at the Lillis Business Complex, Room 282, 955 E. 13th Ave.
In the public lecture as well as in classroom meetings on campus and in Eugene schools, they will describe their efforts and the possibility for promoting reconciliation in Northern Ireland and in other hot spots around the world.
The visit is being sponsored by the University of Oregon’s Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace, the UO geography department, the Clark Honors College, and the UO School of Law's Conflict and Dispute Resolution program.
"The Savage endowment has become a centerpiece in the University of Oregon's growing reputation as a leader in the fields of international relations and peace," said David Frank, professor and chair of the Carlton and Wilberta Ripley Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace Committee. "Michael Doherty and Brian Dougherty will provide our community with profound insights on the role played by mediators in the recent outbreak of peace in Northern Ireland."
At PRG, Michael serves a critical role in fostering contacts between the police, community groups, and paramilitary organizations. PRG is one of the leading organizations in Northern Ireland dedicated to conflict resolution and played a role in facilitating dialogue between the IRA and the British government. Today PRG is involved in mediation and negotiation throughout Northern Ireland.
Brian's work for St. Columb's Park House focused on reconciliation and education. He has been a key figure in organizing alternative venues for Protestant claims for justice in Northern Ireland, which resulted in his recognition by Queen Elizabeth for his community work.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu
Source: Shaul Cohen, 541-346-4500, scohen@uoregon.edu
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