Community Relations Week

Writing Our Future Together: Mid & East Antrim Mayor Audrey Wales and bestselling author Tony Macaulay pictured with Councillors Stephen Nicholl and Beth Clyde at the launch of a local programme of events to mark Community Relations and Cultural Awareness Week, which runs from September 19-25.

Tony joined the Mayor Audrey Wales MBE at a special reception in The Braid to officially launch Mid & East Antrim’s programme of events celebrating Community Relations and Cultural Awareness Week, which runs from September 19-25.

The popular Northern Ireland author will exclusively host a series of literary events across the borough to promote peace building and community relations in support of the awareness week.

Co-ordinated by the Community Relations Council, and now in its 14th year, Community Relations and Cultural Awareness Week aims to celebrate all aspects of our culture and heritage, promote cultural diversity and tackle sectarianism and racism. This year’s theme is Building the Future Together.

Speaking at the launch, Mayor Wales said: “We want everyone in Mid & East Antrim to feel welcome, safe, respected and celebrated, and Community Relations Week is an excellent opportunity to enjoy all aspects of our culture and heritage, promote cultural diversity and work together to address sectarianism and racism. We hope that events which run during Community Relations and Cultural Awareness Week will help to achieve this.”

Mid & East Antrim Council has been working with the community, voluntary and statutory sectors, to develop a unique programme of events which includes a unique insight into using literature as a tool for building peace and reconciliation.

Tony Macaulay, will lead a series of free, inspirational creative writing workshops to help aspiring writers create their own stories and put into words their vision for a peaceful future. He will also host a special literary evening which will include a reading by him from his bestselling debut novel and critically acclaimed memoir ‘Paperboy’.

He said: “I’m delighted to be involved in this exciting project for Community Relations Week. It brings together my two passions - writing and peacebuilding. I believe in the power of stories to build peace and reconciliation in communities and countries that have suffered from conflict and division.”