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During the last forty years, Western Europe has experienced a conflict perpetuated by sectarian violence and acts of terrorism rooted in the historic religious and political divisions between Ireland and North Ireland. "Ireland" has been split geographically between North and South, religiously between Catholicism and Protestantism, and politically between Great Britain and an independent Ireland for centuries. Between 1966 and 1999, a period known as "The Troubles," these differences escalated into bloody conflicts between Northern and Southern paramilitary groups that killed innocent civilians and brought the region to the brink of civil war. International diplomatic efforts and a concentrated peace process resulted in a fragile ceasefire in 1998, but underlying community divisions and old grievances cannot be resolved by a single piece of paper. |
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In the midst of The Troubles, with no immediate hope for peace, Co-operation Ireland began using community-based programs to tackle a historically complex problem. Founded in 1979 as an independent organization with no political or religious affiliations, Co-operation Ireland has developed a portfolio of grassroots, cross-community and cross-border education and reconciliation programs. Its flagship "Civic Link" program unites 160 schools and youth groups to identify conflicts and share solutions in small group workshops and projects. Its "Beyond Borders" program brings together individuals from radically diverse backgrounds for a three-year program to create sustainable understanding. Co-operation Ireland has remained important throughout the conflict and peace process, which has migrated from violent attacks, through tentative negotiations, to a peace that has held for almost a decade. Co-operation Ireland’s goal is to promote a shared future to achieve an "Ireland" at peace with itself. |
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Co-operation Ireland is an example of how one small idea can help solve one very big problem, and how a dedicated non-profit can create social, political, and historical change by implementing that idea. Co-operation Ireland evaluates its cross-border programs on an annual basis to determine their value for money and areas for improvement. As former Senator and Chairman of the Ireland and Northern Ireland peace negotiations George Mitchell said: "Societies that have historically invested large amounts of resources in waging war and defending their lands must also provide resources to sustain an unwavering peace." Perhaps the greatest contribution of Co-operation Ireland is its development of a replicable model for a peace reconciliation program. In the Running believes that this type of proactive, cross-border understanding is critical for peace to come and for peace to stay, from Ireland today to the Middle East tomorrow. 
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