Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group Welcomes EU Parliament President
Resource type: News
EU Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering and Northern Ireland’s Junior Ministers Gerry Kelly and Jeffrey Donaldson met with representatives from Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group(SLIG) this week. The visit was part of a day long programme of EU funded project visits by the President and the Junior Ministers on 24th November.
Welcoming the visit, SLIG Chairman Sean McMahon said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to speak frankly with both President Pöttering and the Ministers about the journey which Suffolk and Lenadoon Community Fora have been on together over the last twelve years and about the challenges which still face our communities and other interface areas.”
“We are pleased that the President and the Ministers took the time to visit an interface area, and to explore our learnings about moving conflict areas forward and what must be done to provide areas such as Suffolk and Lenadoon with a shared and better future that provides us with long term sustainability.”
“Today’s visit also provided a welcome opportunity for members of the Fora’s management committees to acknowledge the support we have received from the European Union in the past.”
Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group (SLIG) is a partnership between Suffolk Community Forum and Lenadoon Community Forum. It has been working since 1996 to build strong, positive relationships between the Suffolk and Lenadoon communities, taking practical action to address shared social issues and promoting dialogue.
Major SLIG initiatives include the Stewartstown Road Regeneration Project, an award winning social economy development which includes office and retail accommodation and Sparkles Daycare Ltd, a cross community childcare facility; and youth, health, sports and community programmes in both Suffolk and Lenadoon.
SLIG is committed to building a community where all within it feel safe, confident, valued and able to look to a future free of fear and conflict.
Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group has been supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies, the International Fund for Ireland’s Community Bridges Programme, the Community Relations Council and Belfast City Council’s Good Relations Unit.
Pictured are (from left) James Nicholson, MEP; Renee Crawford, Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group; President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering; Junior Minister Gerry Kelly; Jean Brown, Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group; Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson.