Sixteen young people aged 16-20 from Belfast’s Clonard and Shankill communities have returned from Cyprus with a clear message – the Peace Walls they live close to have everything to do with them.

The ‘Wall2Wall’ project, managed by Springboard Opportunities, has been working with young Nationalists and Unionists from either side of the Cupar Way Peace Wall in Belfast,  examining ongoing division in areas that historically suffered from social and economic deprivation.

At it’s core Wall2Wall examines the legacy and trauma associated with Peace Walls by giving young people a voice. Its funded through the International Fund for Ireland’s (IFI’s) Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP) and works with some of the most at-risk young people who come from challenging backgrounds.

The programme has facilitated a space to help shape a better understanding of different cultures as well as encouraging leadership and personal development skills. Participants explore their beliefs, challenge inherited narratives and articulate their vision for what the future should look like.

Steph O’Rourke, Executive Director at Springboard Opportunities said; “Wall2Wall is about creating a space for young people to have autonomy of their future, by first understanding why the walls in people’s heads feel as real as the ones in Cupar Way.”

The recent trip to Cyprus provided a powerful international lens, allowing the Belfast group to share their history of division while hearing first hand accounts of conflict and resilience from their Cypriot peers.

The UN buffer zone, dividing Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities since 1974 is where the group directly engaged with local youths who navigate similar complexities living in segregated spaces.

Alongside their Cypriot peers,  the Belfast participants identified three shared experiences: the role of peace barriers in both protecting and separating communities; the strong influence of intergenerational stories that have shaped their identity and view of Peace Walls to date and the need to include young people from deprived backgrounds in important community dialogue issues going forwards.

 These shared experiences helped build new relationships across the Cypriot border and reinforced the importance of peacebuilding and cross-community work.

Steph continues: “We have been able to encourage young people to see beyond the walls that they have lived in the shadow of for so many years, developing a better understanding on how to positively influence or shape local communities.”

Whilst physical divisions remain in Northern Ireland and in Cyprus, communities are struggling with similar issues. Creating a safe space for dialogue has enabled participants to deepen understanding and develop new ways of thinking.

Caitlin, 18, from the Clonard (Catholic) area of West Belfast had no experience of engaging with the Protestant community before joining the Wall2Wall programme. She said: “Meeting young people experiencing the Greek and Turkish Cypriot divide was transformative. Looking at their history and comparing it to our own made me think about how far we’ve come at home, but that there is still a lot of work left to be done.

Back in Belfast, the group is set to continue their journey, rolling out a Christmas themed family fun day, hosted in a shared space beside the peace line. These efforts will include peer led consultations to help further amplify the feelings of youth on issues that will affect their future, whilst also equipping the young leaders with leadership skills and confidence to hold conversations in their communities.

Caitlin went on to say, “Wall2Wall has taught me, if we are to move forward with peace we have to be able to talk about the elephant in the room through understanding and respecting other people’s views and opinions whether you agree with them or not.”

Stephen, 19, from the Shankill (Protestant) area of Belfast has lived near a Peace Wall all his life. He described the Cyprus trip  and the project as one of the best experiences of his lifetime.

“I want to keep learning, exploring who I am, where I come from, and what my community could look like in the future. Wall2Wall’s given me a sense of purpose and I want to pursue a career in youth work, supporting other young people to challenge themselves like I did, but also for them to look at me as change that can happen.”