NI to be used as model for conflict resolution

Northern Ireland’s experience in emerging from conflict could be a model for the Middle East, a top level international conference in Belfast will hear this week.

Hosted by the University of Ulster, in association with The Northern Ireland/Middle East Connection - a private sector initiative created by a group of US entrepreneurs led by software pioneer Dr John Cullinane - the conference brings Middle-Eastern policy makers and business leaders here to gain first hand insight into how economic regeneration and the peace process have transformed Northern Ireland.

Over 100 delegates from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, USA, Lebanon and Ireland will hear from local politicians, community leaders and academics how Northern Ireland has positive lessons for the Middle East in the fields of:

• economic regeneration
• the role of women in building peace
• powering economic development through grass-roots community involvement

Professor Gillian Robinson, director of INCORE and conference co-ordinator, said: “In recent times, we have been involved in sharing the lessons learned from the NI conflict with policy makers from other world troublespots, and this conference represents an opportunity to build on these links, and give something back.

“The University has been at the forefront of international and comparative research into conflict resolution in divided societies, and we are now moving to make available our global experience in conflict resolution to further the cause of peace and economic development in the Middle East.”

The conference is the brainchild of Dr John Cullinane and colleagues Dan Singer and Geoffrey Lewis, who will present a draft plan proposing 20,000 contact centre jobs in the Middle East as a first step in the economic regeneration of the region.

Northern Ireland’s experience will be invaluable in driving forward the NIMEC development plan, says Dr Cullinane.

“Jobs can lead to community support for new, enlightened approaches to problem-solving,” he said.

“The reason we are presenting our Middle East economic regeneration plan in Northern Ireland is because the people here have learned that it is indeed possible to do very difficult things in a remarkable short period of time. As such, they are the best possible models for peace in the Middle East.”

The NIMEC sponsors feel strongly that Northern Ireland has much to offer as a strategic location for CEOs in the Middle East and America to meet to create joint ventures.

Their Middle East economic growth plan focuses on implementing measures to encourage the Arab-American and Israeli-American business communities to invest in the economic development of the Middle East, as many Irish-American businesses have done in Northern Ireland over the past decade.

(MB)