The two worlds of Northern Irelands, Ctd with Rick Wilford

The recent Radio 4 series, 'The Young Devolutionaries' featured a number of young people from the home nations including Northern Ireland. Rick Wilford of Queen's University Belfast made a number of encouraging contributions. In particular Rick Wilford noted how, compared to precious generations, the young people of Northern Ireland are in a far different place compared to their parents. He said:

"One of the things that struck me post-devolution is how much for positive and enthusiastic they are. There isn't a deep seated animosity towards "the other". I think there is a recognition that because they share so much in common, in the sense of social media and music and so on, that they have more in common that what divides them."

The reality is that Generation Y in Northern Ireland has largely got beyond the cold and uncompromising mental categories of the Troubles. This contrasts with a political class that is very much committed to serving the more extreme, intransigent and backward looking. The asymmetry between the young person, and the political forum is sharp and brutal.

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The two worlds of Northern Ireland, Ctd

Northern Ireland is at the same time, incredibly progressive and regressive. Lyra McKee (@LyraMckee) recently said:

"The views of the under-30s are largely absent in this debate and truth be told, most don't want to vote "Republican" or "Unionist" but for a party they believe has the best vision for Northern Ireland. Other parties just get too hung up on the constitutional question."

Previous posts on 'The two worlds of Northern Ireland' here and here.

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#GenYNI - Where is the Post-Conflict generation?

If we are to escape the shackles of our past we need new voices and parties. Where are they? Where is the post-conflict generation?
— Alex.Kane (@AlexKane221b) September 25, 2013

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GenY NI - Your country needs you

Do you remember in June 2013 when Obama implored Northern Ireland to show the world how to patch, mend and get on? To be an example to the world. Remember Hannah Nelson stood up and told a vision of hope and aspiration. Hannah's world is so much the world of the young people in Northern Ireland. In the months since, NI has been a model of dysfunction: unravelling and calling on the crutch of outside help. No courage. No transformative leadership. A vast leaderless mess alien to young people, business and much of the electorate. That's why we need you, the young people to play your part. As Barack Obama said:

"As your leaders step forward to address your challenges through talks by all parties, they’ll need you young people to keep pushing them, to create space for them, to change attitudes."

And this is the important bit:

“Because, ultimately, whether your communities deal with the past and face the future united together isn’t something you have to wait for somebody else to do — that’s a choice you have to make right now. It’s within your power to bring about change."

That's the challenge - you need to speak up, get involved and demand transformative politics. This is urgent. As Mick Fealty said, you need to "feel the fierce urgency of now." Politicians and people on the street are taking what is most precious from you, your peace, your future and prosperity and imposing a way of life that is totally unacceptable.

This blog will give a voice of opposition and leadership. A space to share ideas and to reimagine Northern Ireland. This blog is all about the community and about giving you the power to get involved, by you sharing posts on Facebook and Twitter, by you commenting directly or emailing us your thoughts and suggestions, and by submitting your thoughts directly with guest posts. This is going to be a community driven project by you - the ambitious and aspirational who want something different.

As Alex Kane said of the Obama speech:

"The next generation shouldn’t allow their future to be determined by the one-sided, self-serving narratives of some of the present generation. I really do hope enough youngsters were actually listening to Obama!"

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