Communty Funding Boost For Belfast

There are celebrations today as community groups across Belfast share in European 'PEACE III' funding.

A variety of organisations are receiving almost £500,000 in funding for projects aimed at promoting good relations in the city.

The 21 groups are the first recipients of European PEACE IIII funding delivered through Belfast City Council's PEACE III Peace and Reconciliation Action Plan, which is supported by the Special EU Programmes Body.

The organisations are spread across the city with funding for projects that include the provision of a community resource centre for the refugee community in Northern Ireland; the re-integration into the community in west Belfast of victims and survivors affected by the Troubles and the recruiting and training of stewards at the Oval - Glentoran's football ground – from differing religious and political backgrounds

Congratulating the recipients today at a special ceremony in the Ulster Hall, Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Tom Hartley, said: "The focus for us here at Belfast City Council is to 'Build Positive Relations at the Local Level' and each one of the projects will play a vital role in achieving this aim.

"Issues such as trust, prejudice and intolerance are still all too common for many of us as we work in our communities to accept commonalities and difference.

"he support secured from the European Regional Development Fund, amounting to £6.3 million over the next few years, will assist us in transforming our capital to a city of shared space where all communities have a sense of belonging," he commented.

Belfast City Council's Good Relations Partnership is managing and administering the funding available to Belfast through the Peace III Programme.

Councillor Naomi Long MLA and Chair of the Council's Good Relations Partnership, said: "Good relations are now at the heart of the Council's policy-making process and our vision is for a stable, tolerant, fair and inclusive society, where individuality is respected and diversity is celebrated in an inclusive manner.

"Despite recent political developments, people in Belfast live, attend school, celebrate traditions, play sport and socialise separately.

"In addition to this, the growing number of resident ethnic groups has seen a corresponding increase in levels of racial prejudice and reports of racial harassment," she said, noting that the Belfast Peace & Reconciliation Action Plan aims to tackle the legacy of conflict by channelling funds to front line organisations that are creating shared spaces in our city.

"We want to improve the quality of life for everyone in the city by making Belfast a better place," the councillor concluded.

(BMcC/JM)