REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE ON “COLLABORATION – HOW IT WORKS” DRUMMOND HOTEL, BALLYKELLY
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE ON “COLLABORATION – HOW IT WORKS” DRUMMOND HOTEL, BALLYKELLY, MONDAY, 4 DECEMBER, 2006
Good morning everybody.
Thank you for your warm welcome to Ballykelly and my thanks to Raymond Craig in particular for the invitation to be here and to be part of your deliberations on one of the most important close to home issues we face and that is how best to strengthen our rural and urban communities so that they are resilient, robust and successful in the face of all the challenges they face.
There is an old Irish proverb that says- Ni neart go cur le cheile. It is often translated as “Unity is strength”, - in other words when we work together we can achieve considerably more than when we work alone. But I also think there is a much deeper and more insightful truth, which is that until we work together we have no real idea what we are capable of both as individuals and as a group.
In every community we have an eclectic mix of the genius, talent, experience and imagination of many individuals, voluntary and state organisations, and businesses all going about their respective jobs, but in the course of that work they often confront problems and constantly come up against obstacles to things they want to do.
The key to meeting those challenges is the creation of structures which allow us to work together and to co‑operate on projects for mutual benefit. A critical requirement is the creation of working relationships in which individuals and groups shoulder their responsibilities so that in the end, the work of each adds value to the work of others.
The organisations which have come together in this conference, and indeed this conference itself, are examples of such co-operation.
This area of Northern Ireland has a higher than average proportion of young people, and I am glad to see that education is at the core of the work of many of the organisations involved here today. You have realised that it is only through education, from the school structure right through to life long learning, that the needs of young people in your community can be fully met.
For me, this has another dimension – a social one, for education is a means of social inclusion. Giving everybody access to all the education from which they can benefit is a fundamental part of an inclusive society. It promotes active citizenship. It empowers people to take part actively in the development of their society, whether through politics, business, community development, the arts and science. It allows them to make connections with parts of their community from which they may have felt excluded.
Of course, education also gives people the opportunity for individual personal development. It supports their right to grow and develop intellectually and holistically - to further their sense of self-esteem and achievement.
Through education we enrich people’s lives and help develop a more prosperous, more inclusive society in which individuals can find ways to work together and co-operate for the greater purpose of the common good.
Your community is leading the way in this. You have given young people exciting opportunities that they may never have dreamed of. You have equipped them with the skills to go out and excel in life. Your results speak for themselves – rising educational attainment rates throughout the Borough, more young people engaged in vocational courses, more young people getting better results in their courses, more going on to further education and training.
You have been especially successful in building a learning community here in this district. Quite rightly you have been hailed as a model of best practice.
But possibly even more important, is the way in which you have achieved this – through partnership.
Yours is a unique partnership, bringing together schools, further education providers, voluntary and community organisations as well as strategic partnerships and neighbourhood renewal programmes.
This innovative partnership approach is, I believe, a key to your success. I know that your conference today is seeking ways in which to build on this success and to make your collaboration even more effective.
In the eight years since the Good Friday Agreement, and its overwhelming endorsement North and South, we have seen a remarkable change on our island. We may still be working to see the full implementation of the Agreement. We may still have a way to go on the political front. But there is a degree of consensus among our politicians on the way forward. And, most importantly, we have left behind the violence of the Troubles.
In this post-conflict period, we are challenged to think creatively about how we approach some of the problems we face in our communities, so that we contribute not only to our economy but also to peace and reconciliation in our society.
Dealing with this challenge, I believe, means taking an inclusive approach, respectful of diversity and working to build trust and understanding.
This has also been key to your success: in bringing together young people from varied backgrounds to study and learn alongside one another, you have helped build a more inclusive community.
In this way, you have played your part in developing peace and reconciliation in your area. Your story is an important part of the bigger story that we call the peace process. Your story may not grab the front pages of newspapers or the headlines. It may go unreported. But it is not unappreciated. It shows us that we can all, in our own way, shape the society we live in.
I have seen extraordinary things happening in communities across Northern Ireland and indeed, throughout the island of Ireland, and the determination to achieve a better future. I have seen how much hope exists here and is being achieved each day.
I leave here today confident in your determination to make things work for the good of all and with a sense of hope which has been renewed and reinvigorated.
Thank you very much.