Why Northern Ireland?As a History teacher in Boston Public Schools for over a decade, I have become increasingly concerned that my students, many of whom have their own personal histories of conflict and trauma, are rarely presented with historical lessons of conflict resolution. While issues in Northern Ireland between the Loyalist and Republican communities are far from resolved, there is admirable work being done since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to bridge the gaps between these groups. Hopefully my students will begin to recognize that peace is not an end goal, but an ongoing process that takes commitment and that the work being done in Northern Ireland can also apply to their own personal lives and in their own communities in Boston. |