Press Releases

The Story of Us

24th May 2001

"For the Churches community relations work remains a deeply nerve-racking experience." This was the view expressed today by Dr Duncan Morrow at the launch of his most recent report 'The Story of Us…' on the work of church-based community relations projects funded by the Community Relations Council under the European Peace Programme

Praising the work of the 14 projects included in his report, which he referred to as ' a record of people who are trying to make a difference' Dr Morrow, a lecturer at the University of Ulster, said "The peace process has confronted many in Northern Ireland with a request for immediate and practical answers to an urgent question: How do we learn to live together in a sustainable way after many decades and even centuries of community and inter-denominational antagonism? There are no off-the–shelf answers. Peacebuilding is an experiment in new ways of living and relating with each other and this report captures the story of some of those who have tried to play their part."

In measuring the success of community relations work Dr Morrow said that "what matters is not surface harmony but the quality and maturity of our relationships, and our ability to discuss the hard and not just the soft issues." The challenge for the churches was whether they were prepared to become involved in community relations work "as more than mere political correctness".

Mark Adair, European Programme Director at the Community Relations Council, in welcoming the report said that "it summarises an impressive record of development". "Change is always difficult and community conflict has made it more so. But many people have shown courage and need to be supported in the journey that lies ahead and assistance in bringing others with them."

Among the projects examined in the report are :

The Link, the Omagh Church Forum, ECONI, Larne Millenium Initiative, Liburn Inter-Church Project, the Down and Connor Youth Commission, Columba House, Youthlink, PACE, Irish School of Ecumenics, Edgehill Theological College, Diocese of Down and Dromore (CoI), Habitat for Humanity and the NI Inter-Faith Forum.

The report is available free of charge from the Community Relations Council tel 028 90 227500

For further information contact

Ray Mullan, CRC Communications Director, tel 028 90 227500

Mark Adair, CRC European Programme Director,

or Dr Duncan Morrow, tel  028 90 366486