A three-year project to gather international best practice in the field of peace-building has been launched in Northern Ireland.
The International Networking Group on Peace Building with Young Children received #163;610,000 from the European Union under the PEACE III Programme. It will be led by Early Years, the organisation for young children in the country, and brings together early childhood specialists, teachers, practitioners and academics from conflict and post-conflict regions around the world.
The project’s aim will also be to support innovation through the development of an international masters programme, and advocacy tools and strategies on peace-building and reconciliation with a focus on the early years sector.
Siobhan Fitzpatrick, chief executive of Early Years, said she was delighted to be leading such a “much-needed” project. “We in Northern Ireland have been at the cutting edge of developing new, inclusive, evidence-based practice,” she said. “We now know we can have positive impacts on children, families and communities affected by conflict and division.” MR.
