Ballymena supporting 10th Community Relations Week

BALLYMENA is actively supporting Community Relations Week 2012 and its theme “No More ‘Them and Us?’” with two events planned as part of over 150 happening across Northern Ireland from May 14 to 19.

Local events include Sing as One, a cross community event of praise and worship on May 17 with the Ballymena Borough Church Members Forum and the Launch of Ballykeel Street Art Project - the result of a collaborative venture from 80 young people from Ballykeel Youth Club on May 18, produced by Ballymena Inter Ethnic Forum, Ballymena Borough Council and Ballykeel Community Groups.

The week begins with its flagship event the Community Relations Council policy conference “No More ‘Them and Us?’: the challenges and opportunities for creating a shared society”, in Belfast on Monday, May 14.

Key community relations workers from across Northern Ireland come together to plan ways of ensuring good relations successes translate into policy guidelines to drive forward the unfolding peace process.

Tony McCusker, CRC Chair welcomes the progress made in the ten years since Community Relations Week began in 2003 but stresses the continued need to tackle difficult issues.

“The vision of a society which has moved beyond ‘Them and Us’ still has to be turned into reality.”

Welcoming Ballymena’s involvement he said: “Taking part in Community Relations Week events is an active way of demonstrating your dedication to peace building.”

Ballymena Borough Church Members Forum’s Sing As One takes place at All Saints Church, Broughshane Road on Thursday, May 17, at 7.30pm, contact Wendy Morton 07790 059481; Ballymena Inter Ethnic Forum, Ballymena Borough Council and Ballykeel Community Groups’ Launch of Ballykeel Street Art Project takes place at Ballykeel Youth Club on Friday, May 18, at 7pm, contact Ivy Ridge 07525 142205.