Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - News - North Belfast community leaders launch a major awareness raising campaign

21 June 2007

Pioneered by the North Belfast Interface Monitoring Group the initiative will distribute 20,000 leaflets and posters across schools, youth clubs and local communities to highlight the dangers and risks, particularly among young people, associated with summer rioting at interfaces.

North Belfast community leaders launched a major awareness raising campaign designed to highlight the consequences of Interface Violence on Wednesday 20 June 2007 at 2:15 at North City Business Centre, Duncairn Gardens.

Pioneered by the North Belfast Interface Monitoring Group the initiative will distribute 20,000 leaflets and posters across schools, youth clubs and local communities to highlight the dangers and risks, particularly among young people, associated with summer rioting at interfaces. The initiative is calling on all with influence with our young people to exercise positive leadership at this time.

The tragic reality is that what is seen as recreational can often end up in serious injury, disfigurement, families fleeing their homes or in death.

Project promoter Rab McCallum stated: “It is also of concern that 11 and 12 year olds are now routinely engaged in interface conflict within and between communities. People living on interfaces live in constant stress over the summer months. Many living at interfaces are prisoners in their own home. Irresponsible and reckless actions by young people or those consumed with alcohol often compounds the misery that residents must live with over the summer months.”

This poster campaign is about highlighting that message.

Michael Atcheson contributed: “The consequences of interface violence are seldom understood by young people who see this pursuit as fun. The poster initiative will raise awareness among young people that rioting at interfaces could damage their future prospects of employment, travel while also rewarding them with a criminal record or custodial sentence.”

This poster launch is the formal launch of a process which will leave everyone in no doubt of the dangers, risks and harm associated with sectarian conflict at interfaces. The poster launch will also aim to generate dialogue among communities around the role and responsibility of children, parents, church leaders, politicians and teachers to ensure that this summer passes off peacefully.

The NBCTF is actively supported by groups reflective of the diversity of North Belfast to include: LINC Resource Centre, North Belfast Developing Leadership CEP, Teach na Failte, Concerned Residents of Upper Ardoyne (CRUA), EPIC, Mid Skegoneil Community Association, North Belfast Interface Network, Lower Shankill Community Association, The Corrymeela Community, Greencastle CEP, 174 Trust, Upper Ardoyne Community Partnership, Tar Isteach, North Belfast Alternatives, Intercomm, Ardoyne Focus Group, Cavehill/ Antrim Road Regeneration (CARR) and the Fellowship of Messines Association Project.
The Interface Poster that outlines the dangers of engaging in conflict at the interfaces is being promoted by the North Belfast Interface Monitoring Network. This is a sub group of the North Belfast Conflict Transformation Forum. This group enjoys membership from across all communities.
On the day of the launch there was a symbolic distribution of the poster across interface communities and schools.
The poster will be displayed in all West Belfast Taxi Association cabs and Shankill Road Black Taxi Association.
This programme is being supported by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the Department of Social Development.
This programme is also being supported by the Network Reference Group, a coalition of all North Belfast Community Empowerment Partnerships.
For information please contact: Breandán Clarke on 07877 874893 or atbrendan@nbin.info or Conor Maskey on 07748 322992 or at conor@intercommbelfast.com