NORTHERN POLITICIANS SHOULD LEARN FROM OMAGH'S SUFFERING
Northern politicians should learn from Omagh's suffering'
By JOHN McCUSKER
First Minister praises community during launch of international summer school
FIRST Minister David Trimble has said Omagh's suffering must now be looked on as a turning point from which everyone must focus on a programme of constructive regeneration.
The Nobel Laureate was speaking at the launch on Monday of the town's three-day International Summer School which attracted a host of local and international speakers.
In a speech to around 200 delegates, Mr Trimble said Omagh where 31 died -including unborn twins - had now become a model of reconciliation and renewal, and had continually remained in the forefront of people's thoughts.
"It is in our minds because of the suffering of those scarred physically and emotionally and because of those who have reacted with such bravery and dignity to the tragedy.
"It has also remained in our thoughts because Omagh stands, in one sense, as a memorial for all of the tragedies suffered over the last 30 years in what we euphemistically call the Troubles."
Mr Trimble said the tragedy represented the worst single atrocity throughout those years, and was also the most heartless, coming as it did following the Belfast Agreement.
"Memory of the Omagh tragedy has not faded, and I believe it will not fade. It stands to remind us of all those who have suffered in so many tragedies.
"It is because of this that this international summer school is important. 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.
"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.
"There can be no killing or maiming, neither on the terrible scale experienced at Omagh, nor on a smaller day to day scale. Part of the regeneration of Northern Ireland must be a complete and final cessation of all violence for political ends."
The task for politicians of all shades was now to reinvigorate the Agreement and realise the promise it presented, and the theme of regeneration, as emphasised by the Omagh Summer School, should also be the motivation behind the new executive when it was formed.
Mr Trimble said the term 'regeneration,' which was central to the Omagh Summer School, should now be adopted in the wider context as the key concept for the new administration, as it implied more than just an incremental improvement.
"It does, of course, involve improvement, but it also involves a longer vision and aspiration of the sort of society we wish to create.
"To achieve the regeneration of society which I have been talking about, the priority of politicians must now be to form a cohesive government, at the core of an increasingly cohesive society, which puts its efforts into regeneration rather than into conflict" he added.
Organised under the theme, 'Regeneration Renewal and Beyond,' the summer school was instigated by Omagh District Council, as part of its response to last August's atrocity in the town.
Among those who took part were a number of key political representatives together with speakers from the public and private sector. Leading academics and members of community and voluntary organisations also participated in the event.
The first day of the conference, which was based in the Silverbirch Hotel, focused on the theme, 'Regeneration People and Communities.' Among the speakers were Conference Director, Professor Caesar McDowell, from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning in Massachusetts and Sid McDowell, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Others to address the attendance included local Council Chief Executive, John McKinney, Director of Social Care at Sperrin Lakeland Trust, David Bolton and Dr Kate Gillespie, who is based at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.
Geraldine Keys, of FOCUS and John Donaghy from An Creagan Centre also took part in a discussion chaired by Harry Parkinson, Project Manager with Omagh District Partnership Board.
Nobel Peace Prize winner, John Hume delivered a keynote address to the attendance, which included 40 delegates attending an International Federation of Housing and Planning Summer School which was being held simultaneously in Omagh.
A promotional video, entitled 'Rebuilding Omagh' made by Emerald Productions in association with Carlton TV was also launched at the event.
In welcoming the attendance, Council Chairman, Allan Rainey said it was imperative that Omagh now looked towards the future, in order to ensure a continued regeneration of the area.
Mr Rainey said the terrible atrocity which visited the town had left an indelible mark on what had hitherto been a peaceful rural community, which in the past had enjoyed good community relations and a strong community spirit.
"It was that spirit which sustained us through the dark and difficult days following the devastation of 15 August 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.
Omagh Council Chief Executive, John McKinney told the audience how, ten months ago, the local Council had decided to "put down a marker and move forward."
"A few weeks after the bomb, we set out to develop a strategy entitled 'Renewal and Beyond.' This would enable us to move forward and this summer school is one of the initiatives coming out of that" he said.
Omagh now had to create a new image and it was hoped that through a variety of initiatives including the rebuilding of the bomb site and a planned Arts Centre a fresh impetus could be injected into the town centre, he added.
The summer school continued throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, when the focus moved to counties Derry, Donegal and Fermanagh.
On Tuesday, delegates travelled to the Riversdale Leisure Centre in Strabane and then on to visit a number of projects within the North-West region.
And on Wednesday, delegates were addressed by a number of speakers at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen including Dr Aideen McGinley, Chief Executive of Fermanagh District Council, Professor Fabian Monds, Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Ulster and US Ambassador, Philip Lader.
By JOHN McCUSKER
First Minister praises community during launch of international summer school
FIRST Minister David Trimble has said Omagh's suffering must now be looked on as a turning point from which everyone must focus on a programme of constructive regeneration.
The Nobel Laureate was speaking at the launch on Monday of the town's three-day International Summer School which attracted a host of local and international speakers.
In a speech to around 200 delegates, Mr Trimble said Omagh where 31 died -including unborn twins - had now become a model of reconciliation and renewal, and had continually remained in the forefront of people's thoughts.
"It is in our minds because of the suffering of those scarred physically and emotionally and because of those who have reacted with such bravery and dignity to the tragedy.
"It has also remained in our thoughts because Omagh stands, in one sense, as a memorial for all of the tragedies suffered over the last 30 years in what we euphemistically call the Troubles."
Mr Trimble said the tragedy represented the worst single atrocity throughout those years, and was also the most heartless, coming as it did following the Belfast Agreement.
"Memory of the Omagh tragedy has not faded, and I believe it will not fade. It stands to remind us of all those who have suffered in so many tragedies.
"It is because of this that this international summer school is important. 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.
"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.
"There can be no killing or maiming, neither on the terrible scale experienced at Omagh, nor on a smaller day to day scale. Part of the regeneration of Northern Ireland must be a complete and final cessation of all violence for political ends."
The task for politicians of all shades was now to reinvigorate the Agreement and realise the promise it presented, and the theme of regeneration, as emphasised by the Omagh Summer School, should also be the motivation behind the new executive when it was formed.
Mr Trimble said the term 'regeneration,' which was central to the Omagh Summer School, should now be adopted in the wider context as the key concept for the new administration, as it implied more than just an incremental improvement.
"It does, of course, involve improvement, but it also involves a longer vision and aspiration of the sort of society we wish to create.
"To achieve the regeneration of society which I have been talking about, the priority of politicians must now be to form a cohesive government, at the core of an increasingly cohesive society, which puts its efforts into regeneration rather than into conflict" he added.
Organised under the theme, 'Regeneration Renewal and Beyond,' the summer school was instigated by Omagh District Council, as part of its response to last August's atrocity in the town.
Among those who took part were a number of key political representatives together with speakers from the public and private sector. Leading academics and members of community and voluntary organisations also participated in the event.
The first day of the conference, which was based in the Silverbirch Hotel, focused on the theme, 'Regeneration People and Communities.' Among the speakers were Conference Director, Professor Caesar McDowell, from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning in Massachusetts and Sid McDowell, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Others to address the attendance included local Council Chief Executive, John McKinney, Director of Social Care at Sperrin Lakeland Trust, David Bolton and Dr Kate Gillespie, who is based at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.
Geraldine Keys, of FOCUS and John Donaghy from An Creagan Centre also took part in a discussion chaired by Harry Parkinson, Project Manager with Omagh District Partnership Board.
Nobel Peace Prize winner, John Hume delivered a keynote address to the attendance, which included 40 delegates attending an International Federation of Housing and Planning Summer School which was being held simultaneously in Omagh.
A promotional video, entitled 'Rebuilding Omagh' made by Emerald Productions in association with Carlton TV was also launched at the event.
In welcoming the attendance, Council Chairman, Allan Rainey said it was imperative that Omagh now looked towards the future, in order to ensure a continued regeneration of the area.
Mr Rainey said the terrible atrocity which visited the town had left an indelible mark on what had hitherto been a peaceful rural community, which in the past had enjoyed good community relations and a strong community spirit.
"It was that spirit which sustained us through the dark and difficult days following the devastation of 15 August 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.
Omagh Council Chief Executive, John McKinney told the audience how, ten months ago, the local Council had decided to "put down a marker and move forward."
"A few weeks after the bomb, we set out to develop a strategy entitled 'Renewal and Beyond.' This would enable us to move forward and this summer school is one of the initiatives coming out of that" he said.
Omagh now had to create a new image and it was hoped that through a variety of initiatives including the rebuilding of the bomb site and a planned Arts Centre a fresh impetus could be injected into the town centre, he added.
The summer school continued throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, when the focus moved to counties Derry, Donegal and Fermanagh.
On Tuesday, delegates travelled to the Riversdale Leisure Centre in Strabane and then on to visit a number of projects within the North-West region.
And on Wednesday, delegates were addressed by a number of speakers at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen including Dr Aideen McGinley, Chief Executive of Fermanagh District Council, Professor Fabian Monds, Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Ulster and US Ambassador, Philip Lader.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1297
Published Date: 26-Aug-99
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