Media Release - For Immediate Release

July 6 2010

Conflict Resolution Advisor Heads Back to Belfast

Bridget Brownlow will head back to Belfast next week to discuss Saint Mary's role in Peaceful Schools International (PSI) and the impact an annual student trip to schools in Northern Ireland has had at home and abroad.

The Conflict Resolutuon Advisor will be speaking at Queens University in Belfast and will co-ordinate a panel discussion and show a short movie (see right) in which five students talk about the most recent trip.

Saint Mary’s University is the first university to earn recognition for its peace efforts from Peaceful Schools International. Over the past five years, students from the University have joined forces with PSI to teach the attitudes and skills of conflict resolution to primary and secondary students in Halifax and Belfast schools.

As a result of this innovative collaboration, Brownlow says hundreds of students in schools across Northern Ireland have received training in anger management, de-escalation, prospective-taking, and empathy-building in workshops conducted by Saint Mary’s students.

"There has also been workshops for adult staff in over 15 schools and neighborhood centers. As a result of these workshops, there have been many positive outcomes achieved, benefiting both Canadian and Northern Irish students," she said.

Her presentation Putting the “Peaces” Together: From Halifax to Belfast will provide an overview of the initiative.

Students who participated in a 2010 visit to Belfast share their thoughts on the impact of the experience.

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For More Information:

Steve Proctor
External Affairs
Saint Mary's University
(902) 420.5513
E-mail: steve.proctor@smu.ca
www.smu.ca

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