OMAGH HAILED AS WORLDWIDE MODEL OF RECONCILIATION
Omagh hailed as worldwide model of Reconciliation
OMAGH has shown itself to be a model of reconciliation and renewal throughout the world, and has set a standard for everyone to look forward rather than back, First Minister David Trimble said this week.
Mr. Trimble was speaking on Monday at the opening of the inaugural Omagh International Summer School in the Silverbirch Hotel, which set the scene for the town to move forward in its regeneration and focus on the future of the area.
The three-day conference, which also included visits to Strabane. Londonderry, Buncrana and Enniskillen, was aimed at policy makers, public and private sector members, and voluntary and community organisations.
More than 30 speakers attended, including US Ambassador, Phillip Lader, Mr. John Hume, MEP, and Senator Paul Sheehy, from the City of Lowell in America.
The summer school, under the theme of 'Regeneration - Renewal and Beyond', was one of the responses to the Omagh bomb, and provided an opportunity to both contribute to and learn from the regeneration of communities within Omagh and farther afield.
It also coincided with a summer school for students by the International Federation of Housing and Planning (IFHP) the first time the event has been held in the United Kingdom.
That event will run to Sunday, and 32 students from 20 countries and five continents have been taking part, working on projects dealing with all aspects of the local environment.
Speaking to a packed conference room of more than 200 delegates, Mr. Trimble said it was a great pleasure for him to be in Omagh, on his first day back after the summer break.
He said he could think of nowhere more important to be than in Omagh, adding: "Because I was unable to be in Omagh for the anniversary memorial service, it is especially important to me personally to be able to join you today."
He said the terrible tragedy in the town had remained in the forefront of people's minds, because of the suffering of those scarred physically and emotionally, and because of those who had reacted with such bravery and dignity.
Memorial
"It has also remained in our thoughts because Omagh stands in one sense as a memorial of the tragedies suffered over the last 30 years, in what we euphemistically call the troubles," he said.
"It was the worst single atrocity of those years, and it was the most heartless, coming as it did after the Belfast Agreement, in which all sides moved a long way to secure peace and to avoid precisely what happened here in Omagh."
Mr. Trimble went on to say that memory of the Omagh tragedy had not faded, and would not fade. It stood to remind everyone of all those who had suffered in so many tragedies, including Enniskillen, La Mon House, Teebane Cross, the Shankhill Road, Loughinisland. Greysteel, Monaghan, Manchester. Canary Wharf, and many others.
It was because of that that the international summer school was important, he said.
"The example of Omagh as a model of reconciliation and of renewal has touched many people, not only here in Northern Ireland, but throughout the world," he said.
"Omagh has set a standard for all of us, to look forward rather than back, to be constructive not destructive, and to focus on renewal and on regeneration.
"A reminder of the importance of regeneration is just what is needed as the parties reassemble to begin the process of review, which we hope will put new life and progress into the Belfast Agreement."
Mr. Trimble added: "There can be no killing or maiming, neither on the terrible scale experienced at Omagh, nor on a smaller day-by-day scale. Part of the regeneration of Northern Ireland must he a complete and final cessation of all violence for political ends."
There must be regeneration on all fronts throughout Northern Ireland, he said, and he wanted that to be the key theme of the new executive when it was formed.
"It does, of course, involve improvement, but it also involves a longer vision and aspiration of the sort of society we wish to create," he said.
Mr. Allan Rainey, chairman of Omagh District Council, welcomed everyone present, particularly those from outside the area and the students attending the IFHP summer school.
He went on: "The terrible atrocity visited on our town just over a year ago left an indelible mark on our hitherto peaceful rural community. But Omagh, a town, which has, by and large, enjoyed good community relations over the past 30 years, has steadfastly maintained its strong community spirit.
"It was that spirit which sustained us through the dark and difficult days following the devastation of August 15 last year, and which helped us through the first anniversary of the atrocity.
"It has also instilled in us the determination and vision necessary to ensure the continued regeneration of our town. It is appropriate then, that, as we look to the future, the theme of this summer school should be 'Regeneration Renewal and Beyond'.
He added that it was also appropriate that the opening of the summer school was coinciding with the launch of the 'Rebuilding Omagh video.'
The five minute promotional video was sponsored by Carlton Television and produced by London-based company, Emerald Productions, the director of which is former local man, Eddie McCaffrey.
Mr. John McKinney, council chief executive, said it was important to recognise the role that people played in the regeneration of an area.
And he went on to outline some of the projects completed or underway in the surrounding villages and Omagh itself.
"Regeneration is about people, it is about the social fabric, infrastructure, the economy, the environment, and the access we have to it. But it will only work when we get the synergy between all these," he said.
Referring to the advance factory at Doogary, he said he was confident it would provide 500 to 600 jobs in the not too distant future.
And he said it was intended to build a new 'incubator' in the IT field at Omagh Business Complex.
Moving on to the proposed new arts centre for Omagh centre, he said he hoped an announcement on funding for the innovative project would be made shortly.
Mr. McKinney pointed out that Omagh was being developed as a 'Learning Age Town', promoting new technology skills among the local community. It would hopefully be launched in October, he said.
He went on to say how the community had been brought even closer together after the bomb.
He said the town wanted regeneration, but it also wanted to keep the good things it had. To that end, they were working towards maintaining the important heritage of the town, such as the Churches Area, which is the subject of a major environmental improvement scheme.
"With any regeneration we must take on board the needs of the people and the environment. Omagh is a vision about getting back on top, about rebuilding the town," Mr. McKinney said.
Professor Caesar McDowell, of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, acted as conference director for the three day summer school.
Professor McDowell, who is involved in the US Civil Rights Project, has a long association with the Wider Horizons Project, and has worked with a variety of communities throughout America.
He said regeneration was not just about economic regeneration, but had to take into account the lives of everyone in the community.
"People have to find their voices and know that their voices will be heard. Regeneration is about finding and creating the opportunities and spaces for people to come together," he said.
OMAGH has shown itself to be a model of reconciliation and renewal throughout the world, and has set a standard for everyone to look forward rather than back, First Minister David Trimble said this week.
Mr. Trimble was speaking on Monday at the opening of the inaugural Omagh International Summer School in the Silverbirch Hotel, which set the scene for the town to move forward in its regeneration and focus on the future of the area.
The three-day conference, which also included visits to Strabane. Londonderry, Buncrana and Enniskillen, was aimed at policy makers, public and private sector members, and voluntary and community organisations.
More than 30 speakers attended, including US Ambassador, Phillip Lader, Mr. John Hume, MEP, and Senator Paul Sheehy, from the City of Lowell in America.
The summer school, under the theme of 'Regeneration - Renewal and Beyond', was one of the responses to the Omagh bomb, and provided an opportunity to both contribute to and learn from the regeneration of communities within Omagh and farther afield.
It also coincided with a summer school for students by the International Federation of Housing and Planning (IFHP) the first time the event has been held in the United Kingdom.
That event will run to Sunday, and 32 students from 20 countries and five continents have been taking part, working on projects dealing with all aspects of the local environment.
Speaking to a packed conference room of more than 200 delegates, Mr. Trimble said it was a great pleasure for him to be in Omagh, on his first day back after the summer break.
He said he could think of nowhere more important to be than in Omagh, adding: "Because I was unable to be in Omagh for the anniversary memorial service, it is especially important to me personally to be able to join you today."
He said the terrible tragedy in the town had remained in the forefront of people's minds, because of the suffering of those scarred physically and emotionally, and because of those who had reacted with such bravery and dignity.
Memorial
"It has also remained in our thoughts because Omagh stands in one sense as a memorial of the tragedies suffered over the last 30 years, in what we euphemistically call the troubles," he said.
"It was the worst single atrocity of those years, and it was the most heartless, coming as it did after the Belfast Agreement, in which all sides moved a long way to secure peace and to avoid precisely what happened here in Omagh."
Mr. Trimble went on to say that memory of the Omagh tragedy had not faded, and would not fade. It stood to remind everyone of all those who had suffered in so many tragedies, including Enniskillen, La Mon House, Teebane Cross, the Shankhill Road, Loughinisland. Greysteel, Monaghan, Manchester. Canary Wharf, and many others.
It was because of that that the international summer school was important, he said.
"The example of Omagh as a model of reconciliation and of renewal has touched many people, not only here in Northern Ireland, but throughout the world," he said.
"Omagh has set a standard for all of us, to look forward rather than back, to be constructive not destructive, and to focus on renewal and on regeneration.
"A reminder of the importance of regeneration is just what is needed as the parties reassemble to begin the process of review, which we hope will put new life and progress into the Belfast Agreement."
Mr. Trimble added: "There can be no killing or maiming, neither on the terrible scale experienced at Omagh, nor on a smaller day-by-day scale. Part of the regeneration of Northern Ireland must he a complete and final cessation of all violence for political ends."
There must be regeneration on all fronts throughout Northern Ireland, he said, and he wanted that to be the key theme of the new executive when it was formed.
"It does, of course, involve improvement, but it also involves a longer vision and aspiration of the sort of society we wish to create," he said.
Mr. Allan Rainey, chairman of Omagh District Council, welcomed everyone present, particularly those from outside the area and the students attending the IFHP summer school.
He went on: "The terrible atrocity visited on our town just over a year ago left an indelible mark on our hitherto peaceful rural community. But Omagh, a town, which has, by and large, enjoyed good community relations over the past 30 years, has steadfastly maintained its strong community spirit.
"It was that spirit which sustained us through the dark and difficult days following the devastation of August 15 last year, and which helped us through the first anniversary of the atrocity.
"It has also instilled in us the determination and vision necessary to ensure the continued regeneration of our town. It is appropriate then, that, as we look to the future, the theme of this summer school should be 'Regeneration Renewal and Beyond'.
He added that it was also appropriate that the opening of the summer school was coinciding with the launch of the 'Rebuilding Omagh video.'
The five minute promotional video was sponsored by Carlton Television and produced by London-based company, Emerald Productions, the director of which is former local man, Eddie McCaffrey.
Mr. John McKinney, council chief executive, said it was important to recognise the role that people played in the regeneration of an area.
And he went on to outline some of the projects completed or underway in the surrounding villages and Omagh itself.
"Regeneration is about people, it is about the social fabric, infrastructure, the economy, the environment, and the access we have to it. But it will only work when we get the synergy between all these," he said.
Referring to the advance factory at Doogary, he said he was confident it would provide 500 to 600 jobs in the not too distant future.
And he said it was intended to build a new 'incubator' in the IT field at Omagh Business Complex.
Moving on to the proposed new arts centre for Omagh centre, he said he hoped an announcement on funding for the innovative project would be made shortly.
Mr. McKinney pointed out that Omagh was being developed as a 'Learning Age Town', promoting new technology skills among the local community. It would hopefully be launched in October, he said.
He went on to say how the community had been brought even closer together after the bomb.
He said the town wanted regeneration, but it also wanted to keep the good things it had. To that end, they were working towards maintaining the important heritage of the town, such as the Churches Area, which is the subject of a major environmental improvement scheme.
"With any regeneration we must take on board the needs of the people and the environment. Omagh is a vision about getting back on top, about rebuilding the town," Mr. McKinney said.
Professor Caesar McDowell, of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, acted as conference director for the three day summer school.
Professor McDowell, who is involved in the US Civil Rights Project, has a long association with the Wider Horizons Project, and has worked with a variety of communities throughout America.
He said regeneration was not just about economic regeneration, but had to take into account the lives of everyone in the community.
"People have to find their voices and know that their voices will be heard. Regeneration is about finding and creating the opportunities and spaces for people to come together," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1385
Published Date: 26-Aug-99
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