'Back to the Future’ Conference

When we talk about the history of Northern Ireland, often we end up talking about recent history, the past 50 years and the way it has shaped our thinking.  Without taking away from those lessons and experiences, what other events have happened in our country’s past that we can learn from?  This is exactly the question we began with on Saturday 12 June 2010 at Youth Link’s ‘Back to the Future’ Conference at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh. 

 

Over 100 young people and young adults, representing Youth Link’s partner churches, came together to take a closer look at the lessons this amazing venue has for us.  Many did leave Ulster because of the hardship they were facing, but others simply went for the adventure, suffering an unbelievable journey across the Atlantic they began new lives in the ‘new world’ and some went on to become very influential people in American society.   It was that spirit of embracing challenge that we focused on, because that is what we need to move our society on in its journey of reconciliation.  We need to embrace the challenge to try new things, engage in new dialogue, experience the world through the eyes of others.  Steps to develop our understanding as well as steps that bridge old divisions and carve a new path for the young people we work with.   

 

Alan McBride from the WAVE Trauma Centre reminded those present of what can happen if we choose the old path of hatred and revenge and challenged us to forge relationships with those we once perceived as enemies.  He talked about his quest to face Gerry Adams after the tragedy of the Shankill bomb which took the lives of both his wife and father-in-law.  It was a challenge that struck home to many of us, because if he is prepared to talk, what’s stopping the rest of us? 

 

Joe Loughlan from ‘The Gathering Drum’ provided some loud and enthusiastic drumming sessions which showed us what can be created when people work together.  Joe’s drum circles are not about everybody doing the same thing, but about everyone bringing what they are doing to the group and creating something out of what, at first, seems like chaos. 

 

In the evening Youth Link held its first Certificate Presentation for the Border region, attended by the Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, The Right Reverend Michael Jackson and Reverend Tony Davidson, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, with over 40 certificates being presented to participants from Derry, Fermanagh and Monaghan.   

 

This evening was supported by Peace III Programme managed for SEUPB by CRC / Pobal Consortium.

  http://www.seupb.eu/AboutUs/about-us.aspx

 

 

Participants had the opportunity to dress up as pilgrims to an 'authentic' 1800s photography session.