Funding allocated for two Donegal projects as part of peacebuilding initiatives

Two Donegal projects have received funding in the latest announcement from The International Fund for Ireland (IFI). 

The two projects included are the Donegal Local Sports Partnership and the Inishowen Development Partnership.  

The first allocation, the Donegal Local Sports and Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership has been awarded €185,086 for the 24-month cross-border ‘Community Active Play’ Project which will connect the staff and volunteers of community groups and resident associations north and south, to build the capacity of leaders to plan, co-ordinate and to run play programmes and events.

The second project allocated funding is the Inishowen Development Partnership which has received €159,804 for two years for the ‘Chance’ Project, which will deliver Good Relations training, Personal Development, Education, Employability and Social Development to 16 vulnerable young people in isolated, rural areas across the Inishowen Peninsula.

The International Fund for Ireland (IFI) announced a significant funding package of €3,972,188 to further support peacebuilding initiatives across Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. A total of eleven projects will receive support to continue their work with the most marginalised communities who have yet to receive any substantial dividends from the Peace Process.

Projects funded will engage with communities and deliver initiatives in Antrim, Derry, Cavan, Donegal and Fermanagh. The allocations include The Peace Barriers Programme; Communities in Partnership Programme;  Personal Youth Development Programme; and Peace Impact Programme. 

The Donegal projects have been awarded funding through the Communities in Partnership Programme (CiPP) and Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP). 

“This support comes at a critical time in our peacebuilding journey,” IFI Chair Paddy Harte said. “Whilst we acknowledge much progress has been made since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement over 25 years ago, it is apparent that significant challenges remain.

“Our projects are working against a challenging backdrop. Tensions remain around increased paramilitary activity and recruitment of young people, sectarianism, criminal activity, anti-social behaviour, culture, and identity. We also understand that the fallout from the Windsor Framework has caused some communities to regress creating further polarisation.

“The IFI remains one of the few organisations that can engage with the most marginalised in society. We are committed to working closely with communities through sensitive dialogue and conflict resolution to tackle the difficult remaining areas of peacebuilding.

 “We are living with the consequences of conflict across the world, and I want to acknowledge the efforts of peacemakers everywhere, working hard with communities to transition towards peace and create positive leadership. 

"Thanks to the ongoing support of our international donors, we will continue our peacebuilding efforts to help create a shared future where everyone can benefit.”

The IFI was set up by the British and Irish Governments as an independent international organisation in 1986 and is supported by international donors- the Irish and British Governments, the United States of America, the European Union, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The IFI delivers a range of peace and reconciliation initiatives across Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. It currently supports a total of 81 projects in Northern Ireland and 20 in the southern border counties.