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Learning about peace-building practices in Northern Ireland

17 October 2022
  • Alumnae from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade arrive in Belfast to begin their study trip. Belfast, 9 October 2022. (Marija Jovanović)
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  • All set to start with the course on mediation and conflict resolution. Belfast, 9 October 2022. (OSCE/Minja Mijatović)
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  • Alumnae hearing the accounts of two former prisoners who participated in the armed conflict and are now engaged in community work and conflict prevention. Belfast, 10 October 2022. (OSCE/Minja Mijatović)
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  • Lively discussion with prominent women at the UK’s Northern Ireland Office on overcoming conflict and building sustainable cross-community solutions. Belfast, 11 October 2022. (OSCE/Minja Mijatović)
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  • Alumnae enjoying the view from the rooftop of the UK’s Northern Ireland Office. (OSCE/Minja Mijatović)
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  • Meeting with Monica McWilliams, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and former delegate at the Multi-Party Peace Negotiations that led to the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement. Belfast, 10 October 2022. (OSCE/Minja Mijatović)
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  • Alumnae at the Irish Football Association (IFA) National Football Stadium. Belfast, 12 October 2022. (IFA Community Relations Officer/Andy Hardy)
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  • Alumnae meeting with Peace Players at the Agape Peace Centre to learn about sports as a bridge between communities. Belfast, 12 October 2022. (OSCE/Minja Mijatović)
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  • Tina Black, Lord Mayor of Belfast, welcomes the alumnae at City Hall. Belfast, 13 October 2022. (OSCE/Martina Garbuglia)
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The OSCE Mission in Kosovo organized a study visit to Belfast for 12 alumnae of the OSCE Dialogue Academy for Young Women to enhance their skills and their potential to contribute to  peace- and confidence-building efforts.

Since 2012, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Serbia facilitated a series of meetings that brought together prominent women from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade to exchange views and best practices on women’s empowerment in both societies, known as the “Follow Us” Initiative. As a result of their work, the annual Dialogue Academy for Young Women from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade was established in 2015.

The Dialogue Academy programme includes interactive learning through group work, role-play, development of joint project ideas and discussions with guests and practitioners in politics on a wide range of topics including dialogue, mediation and negotiation, women’s role in peace and security, and prevention of violence against women and girls.

After having completed the Dialogue Academy, participants become part of the Dialogue Academy Alumnae Network, which now counts over 180 members. The Network is a great platform for young women from both societies to continue promoting and advancing dialogue and peace-building.

To supplement theory with practice and learn about conflict resolution through real-life examples, the Mission took selected Dialogue Academy alumnae to Belfast for an intensive training on mediation, conflict resolution and peace-building. Over the course of the study tour, Alumnae met with prominent figures who were and still are directly involved in peace-building and fostering inter-community relations in Northern Ireland.