For English text, please scroll down.

Sgroliwch i lawr i weld y testun Saesneg.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yn gyffredinol, nid yw dealltwriaeth o gyfraniadau economaidd a gwleidyddol yr Undeb Ewropeaidd (UE) i broses heddwch Gogledd Iwerddon wedi’i damcaniaethu ddigon. Serch hynny, gweithredodd yr UE fel llwyfan i feithrin deialog a chydweithrediad cadarnhaol, a chyfrannodd at ail-ffurfweddu’r rhanbarth o fod yn safle gwrthdaro i fod yn safle o liniaru gwrthdaro a meithrin heddwch.

Mae dau nod i’r panel trafod hwn. Yn gyntaf, bydd yn dangos bod y gydberthynas rhwng Gogledd Iwerddon a’r UE wedi bod yn llawer mwy arwyddocaol yn ystod y broses heddwch nag sydd wedi’i awgrymu’n flaenorol. Yn ail, bydd yn taflu goleuni ar y cysylltiad rhwng damcaniaethau, polisïau, ac arferion meithrin heddwch yr UE yng Ngogledd Iwerddon.

Mae’r cysylltiad hwn yn bwysig, oherwydd mae diffyg strategaeth fanwl o feithrin heddwch yn dal i fod gan yr UE. Byddai achos Gogledd Iwerddon a’r heriau a wynebodd ymarferwyr heddwch wrth weithredu Rhaglenni PEACE yn gallu addysgu’r UE ei hun ynghylch sut i strategeiddio’n well mewn meysydd eraill o gyfryngu a meithrin heddwch y mae’n rhan ohonynt ledled y byd. At hynny, bydd y drafodaeth yn taflu goleuni ar yr heriau a wynebodd ymarferwyr heddwch yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, a’r datrysiadau a ddatblygwyd. Bydd y drafodaeth banel hon yn creu trafodaeth fywiog am bolisïau a gwleidyddiaeth, a gall gael effaith go iawn ar bolisi.

Knowledge of the economic and political contributions of the European Union (EU) to the Northern Ireland peace process is generally under-theorised. However, the EU acted as an arena in which to foster dialogue and positive cooperation and contributed to the reconfiguration of the region from a site of conflict to a site of conflict amelioration and peacebuilding.

This panel discussion has a dual aim. First, it will demonstrate that the relationship between Northern Ireland and the EU has been much more significant in the peace process than it has ever been suggested. Second, it will shed light on the nexus between theories, policies, and peacebuilding practices of the EU in Northern Ireland.

This nexus matters because the EU still lacks a detailed strategy of peacebuilding. The case of Northern Ireland and the challenges faced by peacebuilding practitioners in implementing the PEACE Programmes can teach the EU itself on how to strategise better in other areas of mediation and peacebuilding it is involved in around the world. Moreover, the discussion will shed light on the challenges faced by peace practitioners in Northern Ireland and the solutions they arrived at. This panel debate will generate a lively discussion on policies and politics and can have a real policy impact.

Speakers include:

David Bolton (trauma researcher, writer, practitioner and founding director of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation);

Patrick Colgan (former Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body – SEUPB- and Special Representative of the Irish Government to the Colombian Ministry for Post Conflict);

Prof. Cathal McCall (expert of EU cross-border cooperation and conflict transformation; the Queen’s University of Belfast);

Dr Laurence McKeown (former IRA volunteer and project director under PEACE III and PEACE IV);

Dr Mary C. Murphy (Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration and lecturer in politics at the University College Cork);

Avila Kilmurray (Development Officer with the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action and director of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, which oversaw the implementation of PEACE funding to ex-prisoners).