Press Releases

Annual Report Launch

5th November 2003

'A Government decision on a community relations strategy following the Shared Future consultation may have been delayed because of the current election campaign, but the work of peace-building must go on,' declared Dr Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council.

Launching the Community Relations Council's Annual Report for 2002-03 Dr Morrow paid tribute to the work that was currently being done to build a more peaceful society in Northern Ireland, but warned that 'reconciliation is a long slow process, not a single event.'

'If things are to change in the long run' he declared, 'emergency support must be backed up by sustained and planned action at many levels.' An example of this has been the Community Action Group, including CRC, called together by the then NIO Minister Des Browne to find active solutions to the many problems of interface and inner city areas. CRC has developed an active partnership with the North Belfast Community Action Unit, exchanging expertise and advice. CRC has committed £750,000 in North Belfast alone over the next three years for community relations projects.

Dr Morrow highlighted the many practical measures which the Community Relations Council has taken to reduce violence, improve the quality of life and enable meaningful dialogue for people caught up in the most difficult of circumstances. Across Belfast the Council supported interface communication projects, including 24 grants towards the support of mobile phone networks, and huge local efforts went into finding locally acceptable solutions and plans.

Throughout Northern Ireland thousands of people have benefited from community relations activity funded by CRC grant schemes. A new CRC centre was opened in Dungannon in April to encourage applications from the west.  In total 425 CRC grant awards were made last year totalling £2.3 million, with EU Peace II awards worth an additional £9 million over 3 years. This has covered a wide range of projects from community groups, mediation projects, church and youth work, cultural and sporting activity, victims support, and initiatives by minority ethnic groups.

The Community Relations Council has also been actively involved in advising and assisting a number of public authorities, including Belfast City Council, in developing good relations strategies to meet their statutory requirement under Section 75 of the 1998 Northern Ireland Act.

'It is a huge privilege to be involved in this work,' said Duncan Morrow. 'We look forward to growing and developing relationships with all those who work in this important and challenging area for all in Northern Ireland.'

Printed copies of the report are available from the Community Relations Council or sections of the report can be downloaded by using the links below:

Grants Awarded                                                       

Accounts

Duncan Morrow's Report       

(tel 028 90 227500 or e-mail info@community-relations.org.uk ) for hard copies.

For further information contact Ray Mullan Tel: 028 9022 7500

or e-mail  rmullan@community-relations.org.uk