Peace walk raises €10,000 for Glencree Centre
THE Glencree Peace Walk took place last Sunday in the Wicklow hills, raising more than €10,000.
The 10km Glencree Peace Walk was launched last year to coincide with International Peace Day and raises both funds and awareness for Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.
This year’s walk attracted lots or new participants, including the German Ambassador to Ireland. Former Toiseach Bertie Ahern officially started the event on Sunday afternoon.
Walkers of all abilities enjoyed the breathtaking scenery.
Funds raised go to support the significant work of Glencree in the areas of peace, support for those in direct provision and to help create the next generation of peace-builders.
The centre was founded in 1974 and is the Republic of Ireland’s only peace and reconciliation centre. It played an important role in the peace process, bringing the warring sides together for numerous confidential face-to-face meetings between 1994 and 2007.
Glencree has shared the lessons of the Irish peace process with people in war-torn countries all over the world: from Israel/Palestine to Colombia, Sri Lanka to Liberia, Afghanistan to Haiti. It has brought volunteers from more than 40 countries to Ireland to learn about peace-making.
Some of their areas of work today include working with groups and individuals who have been particularly traumatised by the violence of the Troubles; providing peace education to school and university students; working with women in disadvantaged communities in Northern Ireland, promoting integration into Irish society of refugees and other vulnerable migrants, working with young Muslims, and finalising plans for an ambitious expansion of the beautiful Glencree site, to include refurbished accommodation alongside the popular Armoury cafe, a peace and remembrance garden, and a greatly expanded interactive visitor centre and exhibition/conference space.