“Peace cannot be taken for granted, it is something we need to work with”; “bringing communities together”; “Peace is fragile, it needs repeating, it needs encouragement and it needs the commitment which has been given by the UK and Irish government and strongly supported by the EU”. These were some of the views presented by Gina McIntyre the CEO of the Special EU Programmes body in a webinar held by the European Alliance Group in the European Committee of the Regions on Wednesday, 24 February. The webinar gathered representatives of local and regional authorities from across the EU, members of the European Parliament as well as representatives of the EU institutions and regional representations in Brussels.
The European Alliance Group President Cllr Kieran McCarthy introduced Ms McIntyre stressing the positive societal and economic benefits the work of healing communities after the Good Friday agreement has brought to the island of Ireland. “In these turbulent times of uncertainty due to BREXIT”, he added, “it is worth paying attention to the successes of the PEACE and Interreg programs and what they have achieved in Ireland, Northern Ireland and beyond”.
Ms McIntyre’s presentation focused on cross-community projects including theatre, sports, education and sharing public spaces, which all focused on building a spirit that transcends differences in religion or beliefs.
Karl Vanouwe, a Member of the Flemish Parliament recalled the CoR Conference of Presidents’ visit to the town of Newry and the border where the only difference he noticed is his Gsm provider switching and the colour on the lines of the road changing. he further expressed hopes that the new deal with the UK will ensure there is never a border on the island.
Concluding the event, Ms McIntyre highlighted that the PEACE + would not only continue to help communities but will also be hugely important to ensuring economic and social recovery post COVID19.
The Special EU Programmes Body is a cross-border body in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which coordinates projects funded by the European Union and implemented in Northern Ireland and adjacent regions: the Border region of the Republic of Ireland, and Western Scotland.
The PEACE Programme in Northern Ireland is an EU structural funds programme which aims at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful and stable society, and promoting reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. The Programme falls under the European Territorial Cooperation goal. In its proposals on the post-2020 cohesion regulations, the Commission has put forward the idea of continuing the PEACE (‘PEACE Plus’) programme which should be managed in an integrated manner with the UK’s contribution being integrated into it as external assigned revenue.