Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Press Releases - “The Challenge of Change”, Interface Working Group (IWG) consultation events in Belfast

27 February 2009

A series of important public consultation meetings will take place next week in Belfast, leading to a conference at the end of the month, on the issue of interfaces. These have been organised by the Community Relations Council on behalf of the Interface Working Group, made up of key interface agencies and government departments.

The consultation meetings and the conference will be seeking responses to the Interface Working Group’s report “Towards Sustainable Security - Interfaces Barriers and the Legacy of Segregation in Belfast”, which draws together all of the available material on interfaces in the Belfast area and makes suggestions on how this difficult, but vital issue, could be addressed.

The report is the result of a process begun in 2007 to explore the future of existing interfaces and to avoid potential new interfaces in Belfast.

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

“In responding to the legacy of physical segregation the perceptions of safety and security of the people living near to interfaces and interface barriers must be the priority.

The Interface Working Group recognises the crucial role of interface communities and the voluntary and community sector working with them. This consultation process has been organised to give communities, on the ground, the opportunity to explore their role in any interface process. I would therefore encourage people to attend the meetings and the conference.”

The meetings begin at 6.30 pm and conclude with a buffet supper at 8.30 pm, and will allow all those interested to share their views on this process.

Monday 2nd March Balmoral Hotel, Belfast

Wednesday 4th March Malone Lodge Hotel, Belfast

Thursday 5th March Lansdowne Hotel, Belfast

Culminating in a conference on:

Friday 27 March Farset International, Belfast

For further information or to register for any of the above events please contact:

Grace O’Sullivan,

Community Relations Council,

6 Murray Street, Belfast, BT1 6DN

Email: temp3@nicrc.org.uk Telephone: 02890 227500

Media enquiries to Ray Mullan

rmullan@nicrc.org.uk