Northern Ireland

Queen's University Belfast professors speak at major conferences at Yale

Academics from Queen’s University Belfast travelled to Yale University
Academics from Queen’s University Belfast travelled to Yale University Academics from Queen’s University Belfast travelled to Yale University

PROFESSORS from Queen’s University Belfast travelled to Yale University in the US to address two separate conferences on the subject of peace.

Queen's and Yale co-hosted Twenty Years of Peace: Progress and Possibilities in Northern Ireland, which addressed the complex political developments of the past two decades in the north, as well as current challenges and future possibilities.

It featured key figures in the politics of Northern Ireland, including Senator George Mitchell, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, General John de Chastelain, Jonathan Powell, Peter Robinson, Monica McWilliams and Mitchel McLaughlin.

Academic speakers from Queen's included Professor Richard English and Professor Kieran McEvoy.

The event followed on from Queen’s University’s Building Peace event which marked 20 years of the Good Friday Agreement. Building Peace, which attracted global attention, was held in Belfast in April and attended by high profile political figures including former US President Bill Clinton.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation and Engagement at Queen's University Belfast, Professor Richard English, said: "Research-based discussion of major global challenges is central to the work of Queen's and the university is committed to engaging in high-level debate with major US Universities. These two events represent a significant contribution to that work."

Earlier, another event was also co-hosted by Queen's and Yale. The open house conference, attracted more than 200 delegates, and explored the role that investment in early childhood programmes can play in contributing to peacebuilding efforts in countries impacted by conflict.

Professor Paul Connolly, Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Queen’s and project lead, delivered the main address. An interdisciplinary team of leading academics from the Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation also attended.

The team from Queen's participated in the event having travelled directly from Bogotá where they co-hosted a public event and series of meetings with key early childhood NGOs and government advisers to explore the development of programmes for peacebuilding in Colombia.