Press Releases

29 September 2004

Good Relations

  “Promoting Good Relations is about pursuing the vision of a new society” says Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council. “This involves going beyond the legal requirements and asks fundamental questions about the way we manage and run our organisations and services”.

Dr Morrow's comments come as the Community Relations Council today (Wednesday) launches a publication to help organisations promote good relations and challenge sectarianism and racism.

The publication, A Good Relations Framework- an approach to the development of good relations,  will be launched by the Community Relations Council at Belfast City Hall this morning.  It will be welcomed by addresses from the Lord Mayor, Tom Ekin, and by Anne O'Reilly, the Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

The publication is aimed at voluntary and business organisations as well as public sector bodies seeking to comply with statutory duties under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act.

Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council, commented:

“Northern Ireland has suffered the impact of sectarianism for many years and racism has fast become its close ally. These are uncomfortable realities for everyone to face, but the promotion of good relations gives us an opportunity to confront them in a strategic way. This Good Relations Framework offers an approach to the implementation of good relations practice.  It is one of several approaches developed some of which will be showcased at the launch. I hope organisations will find A Good Relations Framework a useful tool for developing good relations approaches in their working practices and policies.”

The Equality Commission  welcomed the Community Relations Council's Good Relations Framework  as a significant contribution to the good relations agenda in Northern Ireland. Speaking at the launch Anne O'Reilly, Deputy Chief Commissioner, said

         “Under the Northern Ireland Act, public bodies must promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group, and the Commission has a duty to advise them on this work..  Indeed, we'll shortly be consulting on our revised guidance on good relations.  The Community Relations Council's Good Relations Framework will be a very useful additional resource for the public authorities in carrying out their good relations duties.” 

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tom Ekin, who also is a former Chairman of Belfast City Council's Good Relations Working Group, said:

“The Community Relations Council, for many years, has been at the forefront of raising awareness and promoting mutual understanding and respect.  In developing and implementing its own good relations strategy, Belfast City Council, continues to work closely with the Community Relations Council.  Each and every one of us has our part to play, no matter how small, in the continuing battle against prejudice and intolerance:  this applies as equally at institutional and business level as it does at a personal one.  It is for this reason that this Framework is invaluable to everyone seeking to address sectarianism and racism within their organization, and I delighted that Belfast City Council is supporting it.”

For further information contact

Ray Mullan, Director of Communications 90-227500

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

Free copies of  A Good Relations Framework can be obtained from

The Community Relations Council