11 min
"The Possible" with Former Senator George Mitchell Grounded on Purpose
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- Philosophy
It’s been an eventful month in Northern Ireland. I was fortunate to be in Belfast as the region celebrated 25 years with the Good Friday peace agreement. The politics in Northern Ireland today are far from perfect, but sectarian violence has decreased significantly with about 164 security-related deaths in the past 25 years. This is a dramatic shift from the 3,500 deaths during the 30-year span of the Troubles.
Northern Ireland is still deeply divided, but despite their differences, many political leaders gathered in one room at Queen’s University Belfast over a three-day period to directly address these divides. Architects and brokers of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement also took the stage to explain the importance of listening and finding common ground.
The keynote speaker, Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, has been described as the glue that held leaders from different political parties together during the 1998 Good Friday peace talks. After three years with no public appearances, Mitchell gave an address that brought nearly everyone on their feet as applause echoed throughout the historic hall, which had its own history of conflict and questionable completion during World War II.
At 89 years old battling acute leukemia, Mitchell could have appeared remotely. But the power of his presence as a leader in both the U.S. and Northern Ireland spoke volumes.
This episode features highlights of George Mitchell’s historic speech.
A link to George Mitchell’s full speech can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xuno4MP6O8&t=2871s
*Special thanks to Queen’s University Belfast for their continuing support and for allowing me to cover the “Agreement 25” events.
It’s been an eventful month in Northern Ireland. I was fortunate to be in Belfast as the region celebrated 25 years with the Good Friday peace agreement. The politics in Northern Ireland today are far from perfect, but sectarian violence has decreased significantly with about 164 security-related deaths in the past 25 years. This is a dramatic shift from the 3,500 deaths during the 30-year span of the Troubles.
Northern Ireland is still deeply divided, but despite their differences, many political leaders gathered in one room at Queen’s University Belfast over a three-day period to directly address these divides. Architects and brokers of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement also took the stage to explain the importance of listening and finding common ground.
The keynote speaker, Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, has been described as the glue that held leaders from different political parties together during the 1998 Good Friday peace talks. After three years with no public appearances, Mitchell gave an address that brought nearly everyone on their feet as applause echoed throughout the historic hall, which had its own history of conflict and questionable completion during World War II.
At 89 years old battling acute leukemia, Mitchell could have appeared remotely. But the power of his presence as a leader in both the U.S. and Northern Ireland spoke volumes.
This episode features highlights of George Mitchell’s historic speech.
A link to George Mitchell’s full speech can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xuno4MP6O8&t=2871s
*Special thanks to Queen’s University Belfast for their continuing support and for allowing me to cover the “Agreement 25” events.
11 min