Taoiseach to speak at Hume peace event in Derry on Friday

It will take place at The Playhouse, Artillery Street, at 8pm.

The event is part of the Hume Foundation series of discussions on the theme of ‘Building Common Ground’ on how we enhance relationships in Northern Ireland, on the island and between Ireland and Britain.

Dr Sean Farren, Chair of the John and Pat Hume Foundation, said: “The creation of genuine partnerships within the North, between North and South and between Ireland and Britain, was a key aim of the Good Friday Agreement. Such partnerships would be forged by building common ground, ‘spilling our sweat together and not our blood’, as John Hume so often said.

“As we review the implementation of the agreement, we must acknowledge that too often we have failed to grasp opportunities to develop partnerships. Our society has remained the poorer of those failures.”

Dr Farren added: “Renewing our commitment to building common ground is one of the challenges being addressed by the John & Pat Hume Foundation. Whether it be in our political institutions or in our economic, social and cultural lives, we must create and develop opportunities for partnerships and do so respecting our different traditions, identities and political ambitions.

“We recognise the key role of the Irish government in implementing the Good Friday and the Taoiseach’s own commitment through the Shared Island Initiative in his own department. This initiative will afford new opportunities for those who share the aim of building that common ground.”

Kevin Murphy, CEO of the Derry Playhouse, added: “A conversation that looks for common ground continues to be of the greatest importance here in Northern Ireland and across our shared islands and shared planet. We are honoured to walk alongside the John and Pat Hume Foundation as they show leadership in progressing peace and honoured to host the Taoiseach.

“As we move towards the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in 2023 now is the time to reflect on how far we have come and do the work to fully realise our hopeful aspirations contained within it.”

The Taoiseach’s address will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Kevin Murphy, Chief Executive, Derry Playhouse, Mary McKenna MBE, technology entrepreneur and Brian Doherty, community leader. It will be moderated by Freya McClements, Northern Editor, The Irish Times.

A livestream of the event can be viewed on https://youtu.be/_KaE6pZZQII