Building Peace through our Shared Environment

Over the last two years The Organic Centre has engaged more than 1000 participants in their Community Garden and Schools Project "Building Peace through our Shared Environment".  The project was 'part-financed by the European Union's Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the Cross-border Consortium'. 

Working together in the community and schools gardens participants from both sides of the Border representing various communities have cultivated understanding and built friendships.  They have not only grown vegetables but also hope.  While cooking and eating together they have celebrated and embraced cultural diversity.  One of the aims was to find out what the environment can teach people about living and working together.  Because every living thing depends on basic resources such as air, food, shelter and water, they can also serve as a clear symbol, even to young children, how all living things are connected.

Growing food together is one of the most basic activities of humanity and it is based on healthy and fertile soil which in turn leads to healthy food and on to healthy people and healthy relationships.

Organic Gardening is based on respect for the soil and the environment and the underlying message of the project was to respect each other in turn.

The achievements of the participants will be celebrated on December 5 at 11.00am with a seminar on 'Building Peace through our Shared Environment'.  A film, documenting the project and a draft of the 'Guide to Best Practice' will be presented. 

We will also discuss our plans for the future and how we might build on the success of this Peace 11 funded project.