Why riot? Report on youth violence and change
An important new 55-page report, Why Riot? Addressing the ‘whys’ behind youth violence” is available at https://societal-challenges.open.ac.uk/media/projects/145_learningfromwhyriot-report-final-28-05-2025.pdf This is based on an 18-month action research project across different divides exploring how the free OpenLearn course Why Riot? could be adapted as an effective youth programme enabling marginalised young people to develop their skills as thinkers, peacebuilders and positive changemakers in contested spaces across Belfast. Stating that “These findings have implications for policy and practice beyond Northern Ireland” seems very accurate. The course itself is available at bit.ly/whyriot One final conclusion was that “The Northern Ireland Executive should enable and support the co-creation of a Northern Ireland Violence Reduction or Non-Violence Hub drawing on the Why Riot? models of co-creation.”
Neutrality Roadshow nearing final destinations, neutrality demo
The Neutrality Roadshow, which has been wending its way for the last month around the highways and byways of Ireland, completes its work shortly with the final destinations being Wexford on 3rd June, Lisnaskea/Fermanagh on 4th June, Derry on 5th June, Belfast on 6th June, and Dublin on 7th June – all evenings (7pm+) except for Dublin which will be 2 – 5pm. See https://keepirelandneutral.ie/ for details. The roadshow is headed by the indefatigable Niamh Ní Bhriain of the Transnational Institute and features guest speakers to create a space for open dialogue and discussion. All events free and open and the Roadshow takes place during the ongoing attempt at removal of the Triple Lock on the deployment of troops overseas by the Irish government. As the website says, “The world needs neutral peace-brokers now, more than ever and Ireland is in a very special position to help bring wars to an end.” However the government is working to get the committee stage scrutiny of its proposals to remove the Triple Lock completed before the Dáil breaks for the summer.
l Meanwhile a major demonstration, “Keep Ireland neutral! Keep the Triple Lock!” takes place on Saturday 14th June, 2pm, at the Garden of Remembrance, Dublin, organised primarily by the Irish Neutrality League.
Good Relations Week in NI
Coordinated by the Community Relations Council, Good Relations Week 2025 will run from Monday 13th to Sunday 19th October, with a likely programme of more than 200 cross-community and multicultural events taking place across all 11 local council areas of the North. This is always an opportunity for groups to showcase their work in the good/community relations area and the theme this year is ‘Connect – People, Planet, Posterity’. See https://goodrelationsweek.com/ for more info and registration.
Peace manifesto launch on Europe Day by Lex Innocentium 21stC
In line with the European Peace Project, Lex Innocentium 21st Century organised readings of the Manifesto for Peace at the GPO in Dublin, and in Newbridge, Co Kildare, on 9th of May, the 80th anniversary of the official end of World War II in Europe. Across Europe, people gathered together to read the Manifesto for Peace – to tell their governments that they do not want war and that they do not want to waste valuable resources on war and on the stockpiling of deadly weapons. To read the full proclamation – including a specifically Irish piece based on the format of the 1916 Rising proclamation – see https://innatenonviolence.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Proclamation-of-Peace-25.05.pdf Lex Innocentirum 21stC is at https://lexinnocentium21.ie For pics see https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/54519849965/in/dateposted/ and the couple of entries beside that.
Racism, the far right, and social media
A report launched at the start of May commissioned by the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) with the support of the Equality Coalition, a network co-convened by CAJ and UNISON, has revealed the alarming role of social media in amplifying racial intimidation and far-right narratives in Northern Ireland. The report, which features a series of case studies on online activity linked to the discussion and promotion of anti-immigrant and racist incidents in Northern Ireland, finds that while such incidents occur locally, their reach and impact are being significantly amplified by far-right networks, particularly those based in Britain and the Republic. Dessie Donnelly, researcher and author of the report, said: “Local incidents of racial intimidation are not isolated; they are cynically amplified through a far-right online ecosystem that distorts public perception. Online community spaces that should foster genuine dialogue have instead become breeding grounds for toxic misinformation that directly endangers migrant and minority communities on the ground.” See https://caj.org.uk/latest/alarming-role-of-social-media-in-amplifying-racial-intimidation-and-far-right-narratives-in-ni/ for more info and link to the full 48-page report.
MNI mediation courses
Upcoming courses from Mediation Northern Ireland include 1) An advanced 6-day Group & Systemic Mediation Practice course beginning 10th September, 2) Principled Negotiation 3-day course starting on 5th June, 3) Workplace Conflict Management 1-day online course on 25th June, 4) Mediation Theory & Practice, 8-day course, multiple dates and times. See Training section of the MNI website at https://mediationni.org/ for details. You have just missed the Managing Difficult Conversations 1-day course…….
CGE: Development education and class
The latest issue of the Belfast-based Centre for Global Education publication Policy & Practice is on Development education and class. See https://www.developmenteducationreview.com/ Meanwhile there are 6 new podcasts in their ‘Reimagining Development’ series. The joint CGE and Comhlámh online event on ‘Decolonising economic development: The role of the development sector’ on Tuesday 10th June is sold out. https://www.centreforglobaleducation.com/
ICCL on repeal of Offences Against the State Acts
While the Irish Council for Civil Liberties/ICCL has welcomed the news that the Minister for Justice intends to repeal the Offences Against the State Acts, they have expressed deep concern at the government’s plans to retain a permanent non-jury court. Joe O’Brien, ICCL director, stated “…….What began as an emergency response has now operated longer in peacetime than it did during the Troubles………ICCL maintains that the right to a jury trial is a fundamental right and a central principle of the Irish criminal justice system…….One of the reasons often given for a non-jury court is the risk of jury tampering. Yet there are clear measures that can be taken to protect jurors including anonymous juries, screening juries from public view and using video links to juries in different locations…..” See https://www.iccl.ie/news/iccl-statement-on-repeal-of-offences-against-the-state-acts/
Feeding ourselves – Strengthening local food economies
This webinar, organised by Feasta and others, is intended primarily for local food producers, but open to anyone interested. It takes place on Tuesday 10th June from 8 – 9.30 pm. Jo Poulton of the Landworkers’ Alliance (UK) will share insights from the Basic Income for Farmers (BI4Farmers) campaign. See https://www.feasta.org/ for link.
VSI: Food not bombs, Say no to NATO, volunteers weekend
Two short term volunteer opportunities coming up through VSI/Voluntary Service International are a project in Finland working with Food Not Bombs (23rd June – 4th July) https://www.vsi.ie/latest/join-the-food-not-bombs-movement/ and working on the Say No to NATO counter-summit (to the NATO one) in Netherlands/The Hague (15th – 23rd June) https://www.vsi.ie/latest/say-no-to-nato/ Meanwhile the annual VSI volunteers weekend will take place from 20th – 22nd June, see https://www.vsi.ie
Intergenerational trauma webinars
The US based International Centre for MultiGenerational Trauma has many videos and webinars on its site including two on Intergenerational Reflections on Lessons Learned from the Dead of WW II; see Nos. 67 and 68 at https://icmglt.org/webinars/
De Borda: Inclusive decision making in Mongolia
While people can be afraid of inclusive decision making methodologies which they have not experienced, two recent National University of Mongolia seminars using the Modified Borda Count on (the dire issue of) “Pollution in Ulaanbaatar” ran smoothly and came to successful conclusions. And if they can do it in Mongolia……. See http://www.deborda.org/ See also article by Peter Emerson in email and web editions of this issue on “What is democracy?”
World Beyond War: Mapping militarism
World Beyond War’s 2025 edition of Mapping Militarism, which uses 24 interactive maps to highlight the state of war and peace on our planet, is available at https://tinyurl.com/47khs4va or find it on their website https://worldbeyondwar.org/ Did you know over 75% of President Trump’s budget is for the military and police?!
Global March to Gaza endorsed by Mairead Maguire
The 15th June ‘Global March to Gaza’, https://marchtogaza.net/ has been strongly endorsed by Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire. An Irish delegation is planned, see website.
Complicity – not in my name
A petition on Uplift calls on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, to enact the Occupied Territories Bill, stop the sale of Israeli War Bonds ,stop the use of Shannon and Irish airspace by foreign military and stop the sale of dual-use products to Israel. https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/complicity-not-in-my-name