Bridge of Hope, a department of Ashton Community Trust and the Transitional Justice Institute at Ulster University recently hosted a visit from the Democratic Progress Institute as part of a focused visit to Ireland to learn more about the role of women in conflict resolution processes.

The Democratic Progress Institute (DPI) is an independent non-governmental organisation established in consultation with international experts in conflict resolution and democratic advancement.  It seeks to promote peace and democracy building through strengthened public dialogue and its work is supported by a council of experts which includes former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

The group’s visit to Bridge of Hope’s Duncairn Gardens offices on December 15 2016 took place at the recommendation of Avila Kilmurray, TJI visiting scholar and former Director of the Community Foundation of NI. The DPI delegation included members of parliaments, presidential chief advisors, academics and members of civil society organisations from Turkey, Albania and Sweden. During the session the delegation heard from both TJI’s Eilish Rooney and Ashton’s Áine Magee on how the university – community partnership programme on the Transitional Justice Grassroots Toolkit addresses the different conflict experiences of diverse men and women. They discussed how the Toolkit empowers a justice exchange between people who are disproportionately impacted by conflict.