IAUC Covers New Ground in Cross Community Dialogue

international | public consultation / irish social forum | press release

Saturday October 13, 2007 12:53

by Jay Dooling - Irish American Unity Conference

rdooling at swbell dot net

The IAUC hailed the success of this
year's national convention in Boston, calling it a ground-
breaking effort on behalf of Irish America in the
encouragement and facilitation of cross-community dialogue
in the north of Ireland.

IAUC Covers New Ground in Cross Community Dialogue

Irish American Unity Conference
PO Box 78
Selma, Indiana 47383
(800) 947- 4282

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: National President John Fogarty at: (415) 244-3036

IAUC COVERS NEW GROUND IN CROSS-COMMUNITY DIALOGUE
AT 2007 ANNUAL CONVENTION

Boston, October 10, 2007— Irish American Unity Conference
(IAUC) President John Fogarty hailed the success of this
year's national convention in Boston, calling it a ground-
breaking effort on behalf of Irish America in the
encouragement and facilitation of cross-community dialogue
in the north of Ireland.

This year's convention brought together members of both the
unionist and nationalist communities, including academics,
community workers, politicians and political ex-prisoners.

Speaking at the close of the convention, President Fogarty
said, "In order to move forward and come together, we need
to recognize each other's positions and allow time for
understanding, even if we do not agree. Through dialogue we
might develop the level of understanding necessary to
produce genuine visions of a common future in the north of
Ireland that is both inclusive and just. As witnessed in
Boston this weekend, the Irish peace process does not
simply belong to the political parties, it belongs to the
people."

Though political parties are at the center of
representative democracy, it is the belief of the IAUC that
political agendas very often slow down or even halt the
process of engagement. The honest discourse which was
witnessed and participated in at this year's convention
reinforced the notion that ordinary people, motivated by
the desire to secure a safe and egalitarian future for all
our people, can create a parallel avenue for advancement;
can create a situation atmospherically which supports and
facilitates the ability of the political parties to
interface to the benefit of all.

President Fogarty went on to say, "The IAUC appreciates the
difficult and often painful work necessary to bring about
true and lasting political change, and we will continue to
use our resources to encourage such discussion in the
future. Irish America has played such an integral role in
the Irish peace process, and we should continue to be used
as a tool to lay the groundwork for political and
socioeconomic change in Ireland in any way that we can."

Speakers included Dr. Pete Shirlow, Raymond Stewart, Terry
Kirby, Bobby Lavery, Matt Morrison, Paul Harkin, Gerry
McHugh, Roy Garland, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, Raymond McCord,
Nuala O'Loan and Father Aiden Troy. Participants took part
in public and private discourse throughout the weekend,
speaking forthrightly and respectfully without diluting
their beliefs or holding back their opinions in order to be
polite.

END
----

John Fogarty
National President, IAUC
(415) 244-3036

http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/

"Working for Justice and Peace in a Re-united Ireland"
The IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE is a nationwide,
nonpartisan, nonsectarian, chapter-based human rights
organization working for justice and peace in Ireland. We
are a wholly American 501(c)(4) organization that advocates
the end of British colonial occupation and the peaceful
reunification of Ireland . We endeavor to achieve these
goals by working through the American democratic process.
Individually, our members represent every occupational and
educational stratum in the United States .

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IAUC Covers New Ground in Cross Community Dialogue