Brandon Hamber, Author at Hume O'Neill Peace Blog

Resilience to Conflict: Sierra Leone

Professor Hamber with partners Fambul Tok (Sierra Leone), Catalyst for Peace (US), Refugee Law Project (Uganda), Green String Network (Kenya), and the Research and Advocacy Unit and African University (Zimbabwe) secured a seed grant to develop a Global Challenges Research Fund project to bring together partners to consider: “What are the internal-external framework and relationships that genuinely, in practice, support the creation of resilient communities facing ongoing and dynamic peace and development challenges, and how can communities, local organisations and international donors help to grow these?”. A large inter-country meeting took place in Freetown in 22-26 January 2018. A range of new initiatives will now flow from the meeting including joint research and proposals.

Participants from Uganda, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Zimbabwe, US, Netherlands and Northern Ireland in Sierra Leone.

Professor Erin Baines Visits Belfast

In December 2017 Professor Erin Baines, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) at the University of British Columbia, visited Belfast to explore ongoing partnerships and also engage with Ulster University MSc, LLM and PhD students. Professor Baines offered two classes on focusing on her work in Uganda entitled “Children & Futurities” and a second research focused workshop entitled “De-colonial approaches to research on violence”. Wider than this Profess Hamber and Professor Baines outlined some future plans for joint co-operation and research.

“John Hume: In His Own Words”

Professor Hamber spoke last night about the importance of peace and Hume legacy at the launch of “John Hume In His Own Words” edited by Seán Farren. The event was hosted by Four Courts Press in association with Ulster University. Pat Hume was the keynote speaker providing many useful and detailed insights into her and John Hume’s work.

Brandon Hamber, Sean Farren, Pat Hume, Colm Eastwood, Malachy O’Neill

Colombia-Northern Ireland Lessons

Over the last while there has been a steady flow of Colombians coming to Northern Ireland to learn about the peace process. This morning we met another group mainly of Colombian politicians and supported by the Irish Government to come over.

Reflecting on Masculinities

The Textile Language of Conflicts Exhibition launched today (6 November 2017) at the Magee Campus, Ulster University. The exhibition was curated by Roberta Bacic and organised by Professor Robinson. Professor Hamber gave the keynote address at the opening entitled “Reflecting on Masculinities Through the Eye of the Needle”. The talk can be listened to below.

Peace, Economics and Education

As part of the Donegal County Council Tip O’Neill Diaspora Awards, Ulster University hosted a morning session focusing on Peace, Economics and Education. The keynote speaker was Marty Meehan, former Congressman and now President of University of Massachusetts Lowell. The session was Chaired by Professor Hamber.

Tom O’Neill, Marty Meehan, Brandon Hamber, Adrian Johnson (IFI)

Kofi Annan Foundation Study

In 2017 Interpeace and the Kofi Annan Foundation launched a joint project on reconciliation that aims to contribute to the current debates on reconciliation by identifying innovations and lessons that can inspire national and international actors engaged or willing to engage in reconciliation efforts, as well as shedding light on how such efforts can best be supported by international actors. Professor Hamber and Grainne Kelly were contracted by the Kofi Annan Foundation to write a case study for the large research project, as well as contribute to a high-level symposium convened by Mr Kofi Annan aimed at capturing lessons on experiences of reconciliation and provide guidelines on how to design and implement reconciliation processes. Over 2017 Professor Hamber and Grainne Kelly worked on research to inform their report (high level interviews with policymakers). A draft Northern Ireland case study was submitted to the Kofi Annan Foundation in the summer of 2017 and then presented to a high-level symposium in October 2017 in Bogota, Colombia. Kofi Annan opened the symposium on reconciliation in Bogota, Colombia. Grainne Kelly presented her and Brandon Hamber’s research on reconciliation and its challenges in Northern Ireland. You can see more about the event here: http://www.kofiannanfoundation.org/building-lasting-peace/reconciliation-symposium/