Campaign for the creation of a Minister with responsibility for Peace within the Northern Ireland Executive

Conflict transformation by peaceful means

The Peace People applaud the re-establishment of our Assembly at Stormont, and recognise that it is one of the signs of real hope for a change to a new culture of peace and reconciliation. Weary of the endless violence that sadly is so much part of the fabric of our society and world, many in Northern Ireland are seeking ways to create a more sustainable peace. The Peace People, therefore, believe that the time is now right for making a NI Executive Minister within Office of the First and Deputy First Minister responsible for sustaining the growth of a peaceful and non-violent society in Northern Ireland. The Minister for Peace would be responsible for ensuring that all Executive policies are proofed to ensure that they comply with an agreed agenda for peace and reconciliation. This initiative would require minimal resources and would complement existing policies, such as those targeting social need and conflict transformation. However, it would help create a coordinated and coherent paradigm within the policy making process for a sustainable peace in Northern Ireland. It would be part of the creation of a new architecture of peace that is urgently needed to solve the problems of 21st Century conflict and violence both at home and abroad. Creating a Minister for Peace would establish Northern Ireland’s role as a global peacemaker and peace builder, and a world leader in the work of peace and reconciliation.


Global Origins
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace, which has 24 countries represented including the UK, is a worldwide community of individuals and organisations working to support and encourage the institutional expression of a culture of peace in governments around the world. Nepal, the Solomon Islands and the Regional Parliament of Calabria, Italy already have Ministries of Peace, and Costa Rica is expected to declare this year. There are campaigns for Ministries or Departments for Peace in Uganda, Canada, Japan, Australia, Rwanda, Israel, Pakistan, USA, and Brazil, among others. To date, three international summits of the Global Alliance have been convened in London (2005), Victoria, Canada (2006) and Kiserazu, Japan (2007). We welcome the Irish Government’s creation of a Conflict Resolution Unit with an annual budget of €25m.


Seven priorities for NI Executive Minister for Peace
with a view to initiating debate we offer the following for further discussion
1) Address the root causes and consequences of violence in society and recognise that these are manifest in many areas such as poverty, education, health, housing, and the environment.
2) Create a more sustainable and balancedeconomy, based on a policy of ethical investment, which addresses disparities in the distribution of wealth and inequalities in the workplace. Ensure that our peace building efforts take full advantage of the opportunities for sustainable development, notably long-term investments in infrastructure and services.
3) Give Peace and Affective Education a more significant status in current education policy. 4)Train community workers dedicated to helping achieve conflict transformation within our society and thereby empower local communities to develop their own models for peace and reconciliation.
5) When justice powers are devolved, transform prison policy to ensure the emphasis is on rehabilitation and education.
6) Lobby the UK Government to uphold its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
7) Promote a culture of peace through communitybased initiatives that bring together groups and individuals from all sections of our society. Move beyond violence and begin to create a community that fosters engaged citizenship.