Community Relations Council

Belfast Interface Project (BIP)

Belfast Interface Project is a membership organisation which aims to engage in the development of creative approaches towards the regeneration of Belfast's interface or 'peaceline' areas. 

The organisation was established in 1995 with a remit to identify the major issues of concern to interface communities in Belfast and, in consultation with community, statutory and voluntary sectors, to assist in identifying effective means of addressing these issues and facilitating these processes where possible.

In 2000, BIP became a membership organisation and currently has a membership of over 30 community groups from nationalist and unionist interface areas of Belfast as well as a smaller number of associate and individual members.  The organisation's management committee is drawn from its membership base and it has a small staff team led by Chris O'Halloran, a Communications and Membership Support Project Development Worker and a Support Worker.

Belfast Interface Project's Vision is of a Belfast in which interface communities:

• Are free of intercommunity tension, intimidation and violence;
• Have come to terms with the legacies of the past;
• Are socially and economically vibrant, within an attractive physical environment;
• Enjoy freedom of movement in accessing facilities and services.
• Have respect for cultural difference and diversity

BIP's 2005-2008 programme of work reflects their commitment to engaging in the development of creative approaches towards the regeneration of Belfast's interface areas and includes:

• Enhancing and developing the knowledge base regarding Belfast's interface areas through identifying and documenting areas of effective practice including violence reduction in interface areas, mapping of NIO and residential interfaces and developing and delivering a module on 'Working with Diversity' module to University of Ulster.
• Lobbying for change that is of practical benefit to interface communities.
• Consulting, developing and supporting the membership of Belfast Interface Project through developing opportunities for peer support, producing the 'Interface' news-sheet and holding conferences addressing critical issues.
• Assisting interface communities in addressing conflict by supporting interface communities in developing and gaining access to crisis-response mechanisms, supporting and assisting in the development of mobile phone networks, providing signposting services, providing a forum for informed debate on models of conflict transformation and continuing to practise conflict management, reconciliation and transformation in communities.

Further information on the work of the Belfast Interface Project is available on their website www.belfastinterfaceproject.org