22 September 2008 Junior Minister Tell United States Of Continued Hope For The Future
22 September 2008
Junior Minister tell United States of continued hope for the future
Junior Ministers Gerry Kelly and Jeffrey Donaldson will tell the United States of their continued hope for the future during their two-day visit to America.
The Ministers will undertake a series of engagements with the highlight being the receipt of the Peace Dove Award on Wednesday evening when they address the Co-Operation Ireland dinner in New York. The Award is presented annually to an honoree(s) who has been involved in peace work and/or the peace process.
Other engagements include a visit to the Mural Arts Programme in Philadelphia by Jeffrey Donaldson tomorrow. The Junior Minister will meet with some of the local artists who have worked together to eradicate graffiti in the city and view some of their world-famous murals.
On Wednesday, both Junior Minister Kelly and Junior Minister Donaldson will visit The Door youth project in Lower Manhattan. This project aims to empower young people to reach their potential by providing comprehensive youth development services in a diverse and caring environment. It also offers after school programmes, as well as three different career development programs for older teens.
Later that evening the Ministers will address the Cooperation Ireland dinner in the Roosevelt Hotel New York where they will talk about the progress which has been made here economically and socially.
Gerry Kelly said: “We are on a journey out of conflict and division and other countries across the world can learn from us. Our message to our friends in the US is that through courage and dialogue the most intractable of problems can be overcome.”
Jeffrey Donaldson said: “Northern Ireland has a good relationship with the US and visits like these can only further strengthen it. I look forward to learning from these projects and sharing my experience with my colleagues back home.”