THE Corrymeela community's 50th anniversary celebrations reach their culmination next weekend with two significant thanksgiving events.
A gala reception, 'The Poet, The Peacemaker and The President', will be held in Belfast City Hall on Friday October 30, with guests including poet Michael Longley, Kathleen Kuehnast from the United States Institute of Peace and former president Mary Robinson.
Corrymeela Community leader Pádraig Ó Tuama said the celebration of half-a-century of peacemaking would invite the special guests "to bring their own particular experience to bear on the subject".
"Corrymeela believes that people can learn to live and work well together and this theme runs through all of our programmes," he said.
"Michael Longley will talk about 'Living Well with Language and Art', Kathleen Kuehnast will give insight on 'Living Well with Gender and Power' and Mary Robinson will talk about 'Living Well with the Earth and Each Other'."
A special service at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast on Sunday November 1 at 3.30pm brings the anniversary celebrations to an official close with "gratitude and thanksgiving for all that has been achieved over the last 50 years".
Mr Ó Tuama will lead the service and there will be contributions from the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh Dr Eamon Martin; the guest speaker will be Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
John Bell from the Iona Community has written a beautiful liturgy for the service and music will be provided by the St Anne's Cathedral Choir and Voices Together.
The St Anne's service is a public event and open to all.
