Angela Askin, Derry City Council community relations officer.
DERRY City and Strabane District Council will this week host a special event to highlight the positive work being done on the ground to improve relations in and around local interface areas.
The ‘Interface Issues’ seminar will be held at Tullyally Community Centre in Glendermott Valley Business Park.
There are currently three interface areas in Derry City, two in the Waterside at Tullyally / Currynerin and Irish Street / Top of the Hill and one on the city side between the Fountain and Bishop Street.
All three areas have been part of the Department of Justice funded Peace Walls Programme which has carried out significant work to help ease tensions and improve relations in recent years.
Looking ahead to the event, DCSDC Community Relations Officer Angela Askin expressed her hope that as many people as possible who live along both sides of the interfaces will be able to attend.
“The interface areas in Derry City have had their fair share of negative publicity over the years but this is an opportunity to showcase the hard work that is taking place on the ground to promote harmony between the two communities,” she said.
“By taking part in joint initiatives, relations have improved significantly in recent years and that is something that deserves to be recognised and highlighted.
“The more support events like this receive from those on the interfaces, the more successful they can be in promoting reconciliation so I would encourage as many local people as possible to come along.”
Tuesday’s seminar is part of a week long schedule of events being run by council to celebrate Community Relations and Cultural Awareness week.
Running from Monday September 19th to Friday September 23rd, the aim of the Northern Ireland wide initiative is to engage with the public and urge them to consider and embrace the growing cultural diversity that exists in our local community.
A total of eight Council events will help explore how all members of our society can shape the future to be a positive space in which diversity is celebrated.
For more information and a full schedule of events for Communty Relations and Cultural Awareness week go towww.derrystrabane.com.
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