Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is delighted to announce the approval of its Co-Designed Local Community PEACE Action Plan, securing funding of €4,445,808 (over £3.7m) to deliver a range of peacebuilding projects. The Co-Designed Plan is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
The Action Plan was developed through an extensive engagement and co-design process with local communities. The funding will enable the delivery of 21 projects across the council area on the PEACEPLUS themes of Community Regeneration and Transformation, Thriving and Peaceful Communities, and Celebrating Cultural Diversity.
Welcoming the funding, Chair of the Lisburn & Castlereagh PEACEPLUS Partnership, Councillor Claire Kemp, congratulated all those who worked tirelessly in developing the Action Plan and said: “We are delighted to have reached this point as I know it involved a lot of time, dedication and an inclusive co-design process with our residents. Now we can start to roll out these new and exciting programmes which will benefit the whole community in the coming months and years. We hope groups from across the council area will get involved in these projects bringing people together from a range of community backgrounds.
“The delivery of these projects will empower communities, promote inclusion and make a lasting contribution to peace, long after the funding ends.”
Councillor Tim Mitchell, Communities and Wellbeing Chair, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, said: “This funding will play a crucial role in strengthening our communities and fostering enduring peace and wellbeing. The funding will support a diverse range of projects, aimed at addressing local challenges and promoting peace and prosperity within the council area. I would also like to sincerely thank everyone who took part in the extensive consultations that helped shape this exceptional co-designed Action Plan. We eagerly anticipate the positive changes these initiatives will bring throughout Lisburn & Castlereagh.”
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “PEACEPLUS Co-Designed Local Community Action Plans are shaped by the communities in which they will be delivered, and each is tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the area in which it is being implemented.
“The continued momentum for supporting positive change is realised across multiple levels, and peace building and future prosperity requires committed engagement at a grassroots, local level, as evidenced by the cocreation of this Local Action Plan with citizens. I welcome the diverse range of programmes designed which are truly representative of the objectives and vision of PEACEPLUS.”