🌟 After lunch, we heard a powerful keynote from @charmainjones.bsky.social (NIRWN) on reclaiming peace, inclusion & the strength of grassroots action.

💬 “Peacebuilding starts with one person & the conversations you have with them.”

We also had roundtable discussions on challenges & opportunities.

Thank you so much for asking me to speak at this event. I’m really looking forward to it

Dessie Donelly from Rabble Coop, who designed the site, takes us through the resource which is structured using the four pillars of 1325 and an additional pillar on gender based violence.

Sarah Stack, Urban Coordinator for the project, talks about the methodology used in the development of the Toolkit including piloting the resource with a diverse group of women.

Charmain Jones, Rural Coordinator for the project, discusses the Toolkit and the importance of a local approach to the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The Toolkit provides a timeline of women and peace building as well as practical, interactive resources.

Martina Byrne from Women of Clonduff speaks about the experiences of rural women on the project and how project partner, NIRWN works to reduce the barriers to inclusion faced by rural women

Barbara Boyle from the BME Women's Network speaks about the experiences of migrant women in women's spaces and the changes since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

Lawrence Simms, Joint Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (RoI) (project funder) talks about the Irish government's commitment to women in peace building and the empowering nature of the Toolkit

Jonna Monaghan from Women's Platform thanks all the women who took part and made the Toolkit possible

Siobhán Harding from Women's Support Network introduces the work of the Women's Spaces project which is to challenge the sidelining of women in peace building and to address their underrepresentation in public spaces and policy making spaces

Lord Mayor Micky Murray speaks about the increasing visibility of women in leadership roles in Belfast, both politically and in civic life. He thanks the Women's Spaces consortium for all their hard work on bringing the project together

Cllr Áine McCabe opens the event by reflecting on the positive work of Women's Spaces and Belfast Vity Council's commitment to Women's inclusion