SPIRIT UNITES ULSTER YOUTH
Spirit unites Ulster youth
By LARA BRADLEY
THE Spirit, of Enniskillen Trust launched its millennium programme at yesterdays European conference on peacemaking and conflict resolution.
The Trust was set up 10 years ago in recognition of the sense of reconciliation whirl emerged from the rubble of the Poppy Day bomb. Since then more than 400 young people have benefited from bursaries and travelled to countries such as Israel, America and Cyprus.
But chairwoman Wendy Austin believes the good work is only just beginning.
She said: "It is a very exciting time to be involved in this kind of work. At this stage in the peace process there is almost, more need for it now than ever before. People are starting to question who they are and hat they are doing to contribute.
"The Spirit of Enniskillen is about encouraging young people to realise there is another valid point of view. They don't have to espouse it but we would like them to realise the other person has as much of a right to their opinion as they do to theirs."
Things are really moving for the Spirit of Enniskillen which so far this year has gained independent trust status, appointed a new director and moved to new downtown Belfast offices. And next year it plans to take young people from the Omagh area to America and to bring groups to South Africa for the first time.
Director Chuck Richardson said: "We looked at ways to respond to the Omagh tragedy and decided to send a mixed group of Catholics and Protestants to the United States next year where they can work on whatever issues they themselves feel they need to resolve."
Gordon Wilson, who became a symbol of hope and reconciliation after the Enniskillen bomb, was at the very first Spirit of Enniskillen launch. Yesterday his widow Marie said: "Gordon would have been delighted to see how this has cone from strength to strength. He believed the hope lay with our young people.
"I am very encouraged by the number of young people who are finding out what makes each other tick and that they aren't that different from each other."
A trip to America in July gave 19-year-old Castlereagh youth Marc Smith a different perspective on Ulster. He said: "America is a big melting pot of blacks, Hindus and different cultures. They can't understand what two sets of Christians here can find to fight about.
"As well as seeing how tough things are for Hispanic people in America I heard from victims of our own troubles and for the first time I was able to really question how I would feel in their shoes."
The Drumcree crisis was at, its height when 17-year-old Portadown girl Ciara Judge was in America. She said: "Their were two Orangemen in my group and although if was hard we discussed our different views and learned a bit, about each other.
"It sounds like a contradiction but, my views have strengthened while at the same time I am more open minded. I would never have had the confidence to speak my mind until we went away and argued the thing through. I would love to go again. I would just say to anyone considering it. Hurry up and get your application form in. It is the chance of a lifetime.
Application forms are available from the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust tel: 01232 2330800
By LARA BRADLEY
THE Spirit, of Enniskillen Trust launched its millennium programme at yesterdays European conference on peacemaking and conflict resolution.
The Trust was set up 10 years ago in recognition of the sense of reconciliation whirl emerged from the rubble of the Poppy Day bomb. Since then more than 400 young people have benefited from bursaries and travelled to countries such as Israel, America and Cyprus.
But chairwoman Wendy Austin believes the good work is only just beginning.
She said: "It is a very exciting time to be involved in this kind of work. At this stage in the peace process there is almost, more need for it now than ever before. People are starting to question who they are and hat they are doing to contribute.
"The Spirit of Enniskillen is about encouraging young people to realise there is another valid point of view. They don't have to espouse it but we would like them to realise the other person has as much of a right to their opinion as they do to theirs."
Things are really moving for the Spirit of Enniskillen which so far this year has gained independent trust status, appointed a new director and moved to new downtown Belfast offices. And next year it plans to take young people from the Omagh area to America and to bring groups to South Africa for the first time.
Director Chuck Richardson said: "We looked at ways to respond to the Omagh tragedy and decided to send a mixed group of Catholics and Protestants to the United States next year where they can work on whatever issues they themselves feel they need to resolve."
Gordon Wilson, who became a symbol of hope and reconciliation after the Enniskillen bomb, was at the very first Spirit of Enniskillen launch. Yesterday his widow Marie said: "Gordon would have been delighted to see how this has cone from strength to strength. He believed the hope lay with our young people.
"I am very encouraged by the number of young people who are finding out what makes each other tick and that they aren't that different from each other."
A trip to America in July gave 19-year-old Castlereagh youth Marc Smith a different perspective on Ulster. He said: "America is a big melting pot of blacks, Hindus and different cultures. They can't understand what two sets of Christians here can find to fight about.
"As well as seeing how tough things are for Hispanic people in America I heard from victims of our own troubles and for the first time I was able to really question how I would feel in their shoes."
The Drumcree crisis was at, its height when 17-year-old Portadown girl Ciara Judge was in America. She said: "Their were two Orangemen in my group and although if was hard we discussed our different views and learned a bit, about each other.
"It sounds like a contradiction but, my views have strengthened while at the same time I am more open minded. I would never have had the confidence to speak my mind until we went away and argued the thing through. I would love to go again. I would just say to anyone considering it. Hurry up and get your application form in. It is the chance of a lifetime.
Application forms are available from the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust tel: 01232 2330800
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/340
Published Date: 14-Oct-98
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