ANOTHER SMALL STEP FOR DONNA MARIE
Omagh bomb survivor addresses peace building campaign gathering
A SURVIVOR of the 1998 Omagh bomb was one of the speakers at the launch of the One Small Step Campaign at Belfast's Odyssey.
Inspirational Donna Marie McGillion spoke about the Troubles and how they had sadly impacted on her life.
Influential figures in commerce, education and the community lent their backing to the peace building campaign that promises to help take Northern Ireland towards a better future through a series of small but significant steps.
The leading figures from the private, public voluntary and community sectors pledged their commitment to the principles of the new campaign and outlined measures they will take to permanently stamp out issues that have caused pain and division in Northern Ireland.
Speakers at the event included the Institute of Directors' Denis Rooney, Michael Wardlow of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, Tom Gillen of the International Congress of Trades' Unions and Mary McKee.
One Small Step was set up prior to the Hillsborough Talks in March of this year. An anonymous donation of 25,000 euro was made under the condition that the campaign was up and running before the talks took place.
The launch was the culmination of a lot of hard work and was recognised as a great boost for the committed campaign workers.
Going under the slogan 'The Troubles Are Over', One Small Step aims to encourage everyone in the community to begin taking small steps towards peace.
Trevor Ringland, chairman of One Small Step, says that even the smallest of steps can help make a collective difference.
"The One Small Step Campaign is encouraging everyone to do something, be that reading a newspaper from 'the other side', going on a community relations course, or simply learning a bit about another culture", he says.
The aims of the campaign are to give individuals and groups the opportunity to recognise the importance of their role in peace building; to create opportunities for all to take action in securing a peaceful and meaningful future to recognise the things that have got better and to celebrate and value all that is unique and special in all our cultural heritages.
One Small Step's planned activities for the coming year include a schools campaign, a recognition scheme to reward those who have taken significant steps towards a better Northern Ireland, an intensive lobbying campaign, a push to bring onboard new members and a major event at the end of 2004, the format of which is still to be decided.
A SURVIVOR of the 1998 Omagh bomb was one of the speakers at the launch of the One Small Step Campaign at Belfast's Odyssey.
Inspirational Donna Marie McGillion spoke about the Troubles and how they had sadly impacted on her life.
Influential figures in commerce, education and the community lent their backing to the peace building campaign that promises to help take Northern Ireland towards a better future through a series of small but significant steps.
The leading figures from the private, public voluntary and community sectors pledged their commitment to the principles of the new campaign and outlined measures they will take to permanently stamp out issues that have caused pain and division in Northern Ireland.
Speakers at the event included the Institute of Directors' Denis Rooney, Michael Wardlow of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, Tom Gillen of the International Congress of Trades' Unions and Mary McKee.
One Small Step was set up prior to the Hillsborough Talks in March of this year. An anonymous donation of 25,000 euro was made under the condition that the campaign was up and running before the talks took place.
The launch was the culmination of a lot of hard work and was recognised as a great boost for the committed campaign workers.
Going under the slogan 'The Troubles Are Over', One Small Step aims to encourage everyone in the community to begin taking small steps towards peace.
Trevor Ringland, chairman of One Small Step, says that even the smallest of steps can help make a collective difference.
"The One Small Step Campaign is encouraging everyone to do something, be that reading a newspaper from 'the other side', going on a community relations course, or simply learning a bit about another culture", he says.
The aims of the campaign are to give individuals and groups the opportunity to recognise the importance of their role in peace building; to create opportunities for all to take action in securing a peaceful and meaningful future to recognise the things that have got better and to celebrate and value all that is unique and special in all our cultural heritages.
One Small Step's planned activities for the coming year include a schools campaign, a recognition scheme to reward those who have taken significant steps towards a better Northern Ireland, an intensive lobbying campaign, a push to bring onboard new members and a major event at the end of 2004, the format of which is still to be decided.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1619
Published Date: 30-Oct-03
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