Photo courtesy Samantha Mercanti-Anthony
Philadelphia, PA (July 29, 2011) - Students in the M.S. program in Global and International Education with a concentration in Peace Education recently participated in a study abroad program to Northern Ireland. The trip was part of the GIE course “Peace and Conflict Resolution in Northern Ireland,” taught by Dr. Amy Cox, which entailed six weeks of online instruction and eight days of journeying through Northern Ireland.
The region has a history mired in conflict that has centuries-old political and religious origins. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives. The goal of the trip was for students to examine Northern Ireland's history and education and community initiatives promoting peace.
Most of the trip was spent in meetings. The group discussed the country’s current state of affairs with legendary peace advocate John McCourt; Ph.D. candidates at the Center for Irish Studies at Queen's University Belfast; and prominent legislators. Students also attended lectures with NGO leaders on educational and research initiatives in Northern Ireland.
A highlight of the trip was an unexpected run-in with 1998 Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume.
"We had a chance meeting with [him]…because we ran into him walking down the street," said Dr. Rebecca Clothey, associate clinical professor and program director.
Hume is a former politician who served as a member of the European Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly. He was the second leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland from 1979 to 2001. He is considered an integral advocate for the Northern Ireland peace process. In addition to the Nobel Peace Prize, Hume also received the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award. He is the only recipient of three major peace awards.
Students also got in a bit of sightseeing, too, with tours of Belfast, the Giants Causeway, the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum and Derry/Londonderry. The above group photo was snapped in Derry/Londonderry. Tours were led by former members of the Irish Republican Army, Ulster Defense Association, artists, and community leaders.
Clothey and Program Manager Samantha Mercanti-Anthony tweeted while they were overseas to document their trip. To read about the trip from their perspective, visit Twitter.