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2023

Agreement 25: A Round-Up of Day One

The focus of the world was on Belfast today when global political leaders past and present arrived to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (B/GFA).

Agreement 25 Day 1
Left to right: Professor Ian Greer, Students' Union President Emma Murphy, Secretary Hillary R Clinton, Heather MacLachlan Mitchell, Senator George J. Mitchell.

A three-day conference hosted by Queen's University Belfast in partnership with the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils, the Council on Competitiveness, Women in Business, Politics in Action, Commission for Victims and Survivors, the Lyric Theatre, Historic Royal Palaces and Inspire’s Therapeutic and Wellbeing Services, began in Belfast today.

The conference aims to celebrate the achievements of those who signed the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (GFA); recognise the role of women in peacebuilding; amplify the voice of the next generation of young leaders and create a dialogue that proposes and considers social and economic solutions to the major issues that will impact the region over the next 25 years.

The conference at Queen’s University Belfast campus was opened by Professor Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University Belfast, who said: "Today, we reflect on the huge milestone that was reached when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. A critically important milestone on a journey, but as many have said it is not the final destination. Rather the agreement is a set of tools that can help us overcome the challenges on our path."

“Queen’s is a place that transforms lives through education, through innovation that drives economic growth and importantly, is a forum to share different views, to challenge them and to respectfully debate, and in doing so to come together. This conference epitomises that role for our University. By working together, we can change the lives of young people."

Emma Murphy, Students’ Union President, Queen’s University Belfast took to the stage with this message: "The Good Friday Agreement did not come about in one moment or through one group of people. It required difficult conversations and brave leadership and that is exactly what needs to be happening right now... Let this anniversary be the impetus for action, against stagnation and towards progress."

Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, Secretary Hillary R. Clinton, then told the 1000-strong audience gathered in the Whitla Hall:

“On the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, I think we can all agree to celebrate a significant milestone with both a sense of accomplishment but also of hope and determination that the next 25 years will bring more fully the peace, prosperity and safety the agreement promised.”

She added: "I think all of us know how difficult it was to secure the Good Friday Agreement... the credit for peace ultimately goes to the brave people of Northern Ireland who took risks for peace.

We will have to change our ideas and work for change. That is the choice the people of Northern Ireland made in 1998, and it is the choice that I hope you will continue to make."

Later, Senator George J. Mitchell, former US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland and Chair of the NI All-Party Talks took to the stage for a keynote address. He said:

“Wisdom and courage and grace, and even stubborn desire, can help to sow peace and root it down deep in the soil where it can, once again, grow…There is much in your history and in your politics that divides you. But there also is much that can bring you together, that can inspire you to continue what your predecessors began a quarter century ago.”

He added: “Facing the reality of the future, rather than clinging to the myths of the past, takes strength and courage and vision. Those we honour today showed those qualities a quarter of a century ago. They will be remembered.”

“Peace is a true idea. It must belong to us all. It can be, in some ways, more difficult than war. But it must be pursued. It is our task, and the task of our children, and of their children, to ensure this peace, so that history continues to open itself to hope.”

Three panel discussions took place throughout the day with the architects of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The first, chaired by Professor Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland, focussed on ‘Building Bridges – The Two Governments’ with guests Paul Murphy (the Rt Hon the Lord Murphy Torfaen, former Minister of State and former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland);  Tim O’Connor (former senior Irish Diplomat and former Secretary General to the President of Ireland); Liz O’Donnell (former Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Government) and Jonathan Powell (former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of the UK.

A second panel, chaired by ambassador Nancy Soderberg focussed on building peace with speakers including Gerry Adams (former President, Sinn Féin); Professor Monica McWilliams (co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition); Mark Durkan (former deputy First Minister and former Leader, Social Democratic and Labour Party) and Lord Reg Empey (the Lord Empey Kt OBE, former leader, Ulster Unionist Party).

Gerry Adams said: "The Good Friday Agreement wasn’t a destination. It wasn’t an event. It was the beginning of a new journey."

Professor Monica McWilliams shared her recollections saying:

"We prioritised the issue of victims... So we asked for a decent process to be established... If I had to go back I would probably make that less of an aspiration and make it more of a guarantee."

Mark Durkan, Former Deputy First Minister and Former Leader, Social Democratic and Labour Party said: "We should use a time like this to ask ourselves the question, what we were thinking, and answer it honestly. What were some of the reasons why we thought of the ideas we did."

A third panel chaired by Nancy Soderberg consisted of John Alderdice (the Lord Alderdice, former leader, Alliance Party); Gary McMichael (former leader, Ulster Democratic Party); Dawn Purvis (former leader, Progressive Unionist Party) and Ian Paisley Jnr MP (Democratic Unionist Party).

Dawn Purvis, Former Leader, Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) reflecting on the Agreement, saying: "There was a real hunger for peace and that groundswell of civic society really helped... There was a dynamic at that time that I'd never seen previously and haven’t seen since." She added:

"If we want to see an assembly that is truly representative and truly inclusive of the society that we have now, we need to increase that membership or we need to change the electoral system to allow smaller groups including those loyalist voices, women’s voices and other people from black and minority ethnic communities to have a say in our future. "

A third panel chaired by Secretary Hillary R. Clinton, Chancellor of Queen’s, former Secretary of State and former Senator focussed on guaranteeing peace and featured guests including Professor Bertie Ahern (Former Taoiseach of Ireland); President William J. Clinton, former President of the United States and Chair of the Clinton Foundation, and The Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair KG (former Prime Minister of the UK).

President Clinton said: "The public was way ahead of the politicians in their desire to have a resolution."

Sir Tony Blair recalled: "I said, 'Let’s just do what you would do, one human being to another. We know we disagree about the past, but let’s see if we can agree about the future.'"

Bertie Ahern recalled: "That was the great thing about it, people were prepared to say, ‘Well we have our bit to do.’ The governments are doing their bit, the President of the United States is doing his bit and if we all do it together, the comprehensive, inclusive process, then it’s for the betterment of Northern Ireland. And amazingly, that’s how it played out.”

During a private lunch in the Great Hall, Queen’s University Chancellor, Secretary Hillary R. Clinton recognised women who played a significant role in peacebuilding over the last 25 years by awarded the Chancellor’s Medal for Civic Leadership to 25 women including Dr Mo Mowlam (posthumously) - first female Secretary of State;  Mary Robinson - first female President of Ireland;  Lyra McKee (posthumously); Professor Mary McAleese; Baroness Eileen Paisley and Ambassador Nancy Soderberg.

Speaking about the awards, Secretary Clinton said:

“I am so pleased that these awards fully recognise the commitment, skills and determination of a diverse group of women, from across the political and civic spectrum, who helped secure and drive froward peace on this island. I am pleased to recognise all of you, I am proud of your impact and I am thankful for what you have done. Congratulations.”

An In Memoriam video honoured past leaders and architects of the peace process including;

  • Dr Mo Mowlam (former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland)
  • John Hume (former leader, Social Democratic and Labour Party)
  • Pat Hume (Civil Rights Campaigner)
  • David Trimble (the Rt Hon the Lord Trimble, Former First Minister of Northern Ireland and former leader Ulster Unionist Party)
  • Seamus Mallon (former deputy First Minister, Social Democratic and Labour Party)
  • Martin McGuinness (former deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin)
  • David Ervine (former leader Progressive Unionist Party)
  • Rev Dr Ian Paisley (the Rev and the Rt. Hon the Lord Bannside, former First Minister and former leader, Democratic Unionist Party)

A bust unveiling outside the Whitla Hall paid tribute to Senator George J. Mitchell for his contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.

The day will finish with a Clinton Scholarship Dinner at Belfast City Hall. Hosted by Mark Carruthers and Miriam O’Callaghan, the event will mark the awarding of the Chancellor's Award for Civic Leadership to the Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair KG Sir, President William J. Clinton, Senator George J. Mitchell and former Taoiseach, Professor Bertie Ahern. During the evening, Chancellor Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton will introduce the Clinton Scholarship Fund.

The conference continues tomorrow. For full coverage of the events follow @QUBelfast on Twitter.

For more information on the Agreement 25 conference, please visit: https://www.qub.ac.uk/agreement25/ 

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Media enquiries to comms.office@qub.ac.uk 

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