## **John & Pat Hume Foundation for Peaceful Change and Reconciliation Trustees Report 2023** ## 1. **Charitable Purposes** The John & Pat Hume Foundation for Peaceful Change and Reconciliation charitable purposes are: - The John and Pat Hume Foundation for Peaceful Change and Reconciliation exists to advance non-violent peaceful change-making for present and future generations in divided societies nationally and conflict zones internationally, encompassing social and economic justice, democratic progress, and the building of inclusive and resilient communities as fundamental cornerstones of sustained peace; - To promote reconciliation and nurture bonds of collaboration, embedding principles of justice, inclusion, mutual understanding and trust between individuals and groups in conflict nationally and internationally. ## **Our Mission** 2. To promote and advance John and Pat Hume’s legacy of a peaceful and non-violent philosophy of change founded on their principles that: - **Peaceful change is a collaborative process that is fully inclusive.** - **Peaceful change is built on a respect for difference.** - **Peaceful change takes a long-term view and supports evolving perspectives.** ## 3. **Objectives and activities** The Trustees have regard to the Northern Ireland Charity Commission's Public benefit requirements. The statutory guidance states the objects and principal activities of the charity show that the public benefit ‘ _will flow from the purposes are increased learning, awareness and experience to enhance peaceful and non-violent changemaking for the benefit of individuals, groups and communities impacted by conflict and violence in divided communities in Northern Ireland, Ireland and conflict zones internationally.’_ ## **4. Strategic Priorities 2021 to 2025** In 2021, the Hume Foundation developed a 5-year strategic plan with the following priorities: - ’ - **Strategic Priority #1:** Promote John & Pat Hume s vision of Reconciliation - **Strategic Priority #2:** Challenge exclusion, injustice and the denial of rights - **Strategic Priority #3:** Promote democratic progress based on dialogue and respect. ## **Activities** ## **Building Common Ground / A Shared Homeplace** ## **5.** _**Belfast and the Balkans: Power sharing in Practice – Fresh Starts and False Dawn**_ On 20 March 2023, Leo Green, former SF special adviser who completing a PHD on P _ower sharing in Bosnia Herzegovina and NI_ **,** was in conversation with Dawn Purvis and Prof Paul Arthur at the Imagine Festival. ## **6.** _**Annual Seamus Mallon Seminar - A Shared Homeplace**_ The Annual Seamus Mallon seminar was held in Newry on 22 September 2023 to facilitate an inclusive and generous discussion on _‘A Shared Homeplace’_ in the North, on the island and East/West. Speakers included: Enda Kenny, former Taoiseach, Dermot Ahern, former Irish Government Minister, Ian Marshall, former member of the Seanad, Sharon Haughey, former Lord Mayor of Armagh City & District, and Orla Mallon, Seamus Mallon’s daughter. ## **7. Peace Summit 2023** The Peace Summit is an initiative led by the John and Pat Hume Foundation and Community Dialogue, in partnership with YouthAction NI, Holywell Trust, Ulster University, Integrated Education Fund, and the Glencree Centre for Peace & Reconciliation. It is funded by the International Fund for Ireland. A Peace Summit was held on 3 March 2023 and provided a chance to consider both the progress that has been made and the steps still to be taken in relation to the peace process. The Summit followed months of consultation with peacebuilders, local communities, and young people from across Northern Ireland and the Border region in the Republic of Ireland, asking what remains to be done, how do we achieve this, and who is responsible for implementing the next steps? The Peace Summit, is a process rather than a one-off event, aims to listen to voices of hope and refocus attention on the peace process to ensure we honour and build upon: - _a robust peacebuilding infrastructure that was created through commitment, courage, skills and risk-taking that people here have campaigned for over decades_ - _the massive investment of funding and political support from funders and governments across the globe_ - _the opportunity to create an inclusive, multicultural, modern society that our young people demand and deserve._ The Peace Summit drew together some of the best ideas to create an agenda for the future that speaks to issues from the past and towards an agenda for peace and reconciliation for the next 25 years. In May 2023, the Peace Summit Partnership launched a report from the consultations on the _Unfinished Business of Peace and Reconciliation_ with a _Call to Action_ with 12 key recommendations. ## **Social and Economic Justice** ## 8. **Partnership with Royal Irish Academy** The John and Pat Hume Foundation, in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), has held seminars to examine the socio-economic, infrastructure and investment policies required to address the regional inequalities and imbalance in Greater North-West. On 5 October 2023.The Hume / RIA seminar on _‘Time to Strengthen the Regional Impact of Greater North-West’_ was held in Ulster University Derry/Londonderry Campus Speakers included: Professor Des McNulty - Deputy Director Policy Scotland, John Daly - Economist for Northern and Western Region, representatives from City of Leipzig in Germany to share insights on the city's economic transformation over the last 25 years. ## 9. **Future Politics -** _**Delivering Effective Government**_ Future Politics is a partnership between Stratagem and the John & Pat Hume Foundation in support of more sustainable and effective government. Future Politics has an ambitious agenda to: _Shape strategic, constructive conversations about political relationships and_ _policymaking that enables the delivery of better outcomes for people, communities and businesses;_ _Enhance engagement at all levels of government and politics across these islands as legislators and policy makers chart a way forward in a post-Brexit environment._ - 10.The 2[nd] _Future Politics: Delivering Effective Government_ conference was held on 24 November 2023 at UU Belfast. The keynote speaker was former Deputy First Minister for Scotland, John Swinney. **11.** As part of the Future Politics series, on Friday 20 October 2023, IIEA in Dublin hosted an small expert roundtable discussion on Friday 20 October from 2-5pm on the subject of _‘Resetting North-South relations in a post-Brexit world’_ with former political representatives , current and former DFA officials, business, trade unions and civic society representatives **12.** The Irish Joint Secretariat in Belfast hosted a Future Politics discussion 3 October 2023 with former MLAs, special advisers and cross community political reference group. ## **13.Youth, Peace and Security Youth, Peace and Security Series** The Hume Foundation has partnered with Ulster University, IFI and Interpeace at the UN on the Youth, Peace and Security Series with inspirational local and global peacemakers from the southern hemisphere. The Hume Foundation hosted a workshop on _‘An Ethical Way to Deal with The Past’_ with international delegates at the Global One Young World 2023 Belfast Summit which was held in Belfast in October 2023. Two victims and survivors Alex Bunting from WAVE NI and Susie from Ballymurphy gave powerful testimonials. ## 14. _**“Youth and Transitional Justice – the strategic importance of youth participation in peace processes”**_ The John and Pat Hume Foundation, IFI and TJI/INCORE hosted a seminar in UU Belfast on 12 December 2023 with Anjli Parrin on “ _Youth and Transitional Justice – the strategic importance of youth participation in peace processes”,_ as part of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival. ## 15. **Promoting An Ethical Political Discourse** On 26 January 2023, the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation and the John and Pat Hume Foundation held a workshop to promote ethical political discourse. We listened to the shocking experiences of the Jo Cox Foundation, the Association of Irish Local Government the representative body for elected councillors and to former political representatives from across the island. There is an urgent need for an all-island conversation about how we promote a more respectful, tolerant and ethical political discourse. ## **Reflection** ## 16. **25[th] Anniversary of Good Friday Agreement and Nobel Peace Prize** On 18th April 2023, the Hume Foundation hosted tribute to John Hume and David Trimble titled _"Making Hope and History Rhyme"_ in the Guildhall, Derry with a keynote address from President Clinton, Tim Wheeler, Neil Hannon, Rachel Hume, Nicholas Trimble, Roe, youth voices and Phil Coulter - 17.On 11 December 2023, there was an to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the award of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize to John Hume and David Trimble and to promote leadership for peaceful change. Speakers included: _Bertie Ahern, Lady Daphne Trimble, Dawn Purvis, Bríd Rodgers, Anjli Parrin, human rights advocate from Kenya; Chougher Maria Doughramajian, President of Voices of Young Refugees in Europe, Séamus O’Reilly, Derry writer; David Kerr, former adviser to David Trimble, St Vincent De Paul, Salvation Army, Derry singer Roe and a special video by Fergal Keane, BBC foreign correspondent._ ## 18. **3[rd] John Hume ‘Spirit of Peace’ European Lecture** EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness delivered the _3[rd] European ‘Spirit of Peace’_ lecture in Brussels on Tuesday, 24 October 2023 in IBEC Global Brussels. Tony Connolly, RTE Europe Editor chaired the conversation. ## 19. **Beyond Belief - The Derry Playhouse.** The Derry Playhouse play about John Hume ‘ _Beyond Belief’_ ran in the Guildhall from 31 March to 7 April 2023 in the Guildhall in Derry. ## 20. **John Hume Bust** The 4[th] bust of John Hume, by Liz O’Kane, was unveiled in Leinster House on March 29, 2023. ## **21. EU Parliament Office Exhibition** The EU Parliament Office in Dublin hosted a photographic exhibition on the life John Hume and the making of the Liz O’Kane’s Hume Sculpture in the European Parliament’s office in London on 28th March 2023 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. ## **22.Outputs** The Hume Foundation has organised 25 events. Under the Peace Summit Engagement Process there were an additional 27 events/discussions. Consultations with young people and peacemakers. Over 5000 people attended physically or online the Hume Foundation events. Separately over 3,000 people attended physically the play about John Hume ‘Beyond Belief’ and more online. The conference/ workshops and discussions attracted participants from a wide range of audiences especially cross community ,women, young people and cross border. ## **23.Outcomes** The John and Pat Hume Foundation believes our programmes have achieved positive long term outcomes including: - Greater awareness of John and Pat Hume’s legacy and vision of peace and nonviolent change. - The Hume methodology for peace building and reconciliation is better understood. - The events have enhanced peace and reconciliation, improved mutual understanding and contributed to building enduring relationships across these islands. - Through Peace Summit 2023 we have identified actions which can tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation. - The Foundation has played a role in inspiring a new generation of leaders in peaceful change changemaking. - The principles of justice, inclusion, mutual understanding and trust between individuals and groups in conflict nationally and internationally have been embedded and exemplified in our work. - The Foundation's initiatives have assisted in the promoting the primacy of ethical and respectful politics and supported courageous leadership in local communities. John & Pat Hume Foundation 2023