The International Fund for Ireland has announced funding of €1.1 million to try to assist in persuading interface communities to take down some of Northern Ireland’s so-called peace walls.
The fund said yesterday it was providing £885,412 for three projects – one in Belfast and two in Derry – as part of its peace walls programme.
The projects are designed to deliver a “range of confidence and relationship-building measures within and between interface communities, aimed at helping local residents to move to a position where they feel it is safe and appropriate for the removal of peace walls to commence”.
Fund chairman Dr Adrian Johnston said the financial support was a strategic investment in communities and organisations that were working hard to secure lasting peace. “Despite progress in recent years a legacy of fear and mistrust still exists in many communities and that carries the risk of instability and violence.
“Tragic events in recent weeks have further underlined the critical need to support interventions that tackle sectarianism and promote reconciliation,” he said.
“Real and positive community transformation has occurred in recent years, but much more work is still required in order to deliver a truly peaceful and shared society,” Dr Johnston said.
