CR Program Hosts Meeting with Student Leaders from Ireland and South Africa

On June 30, 2008, the MA program hosted a meeting with 33 Irish and South African students, who are in Washington, DC this summer participating in the Washington Ireland Service Leadership Program (WIP) and the South African Washington Internship Program. During the two-hour meeting which included students from Georgetown and other DC universities, participants engaged in a number of applied conflict resolution skills exercises. The meeting also provided a forum for students to discuss their respective experiences related to conflict in their home countries. Discussion was lively and there was significant debate regarding the appropriate role of international and local civil society in fostering peacebuilding in conflicted societies. The event is part of the department’s on-going outreach to local and international organizations working on conflict related issues.


The Washington Ireland Program for Service and Leadership (WIP) is a unique US-Ireland nonprofit that is helping to prepare the next generation of leaders for Northern Ireland and Ireland. WIP inspires students from Ireland to lead through public service at home and expands their skills through an intensive eight-week leadership program and an internship in Washington, DC region. WIP recognizes that ending conflict is just the start of building peace. A sustainable peace can only be attained by developing a deeper level of trust among the next generation, and through the WIP program more than 350 young adults have confronted their sectarian divides and formed a lasting partnership for a shared future for Ireland. During the summer of 2008, 7 South African students joined the 26 students from Across Ireland to participate in this unique academic, cultural, and community-minded exchange.