Peace and Reconciliation Programme - known as the "Messines Programme"

Tender description

Peace adn Reconcilation programme known as the "Messines experience" The Larne Community Cohesion Project aims to exploit the potential for mutual understanding, respect for differences and reconciliation through remembering. It also aims to build positive relations between all participants on the project from both Catholic and Protestant communities. There will be a focus on developing the capacity of groups or individuals who have a role to play within their communities in tackling sectarianism but who need additional support to understand the processes involved. In this way the benefits gained extend beyond the lifetime of the programme. The programme will take 16 participants accompanied by 1 Larne Community Cohesion Officer (Total 17 people) to the village of Messines, Belgium on the site of the Battle of Messine Ridge where in 1917 soldiers from the Nationalist 16th Irish Division and Unionist 36th Ulster Division, who despite their religious and cultural differences fought and died together on the same battlefield