Good Relations Programmes

Good Relations runs regular programmes each year including:

Good Relations Week
Holocaust Memorial Week
Shared Voices programme
It Takes All Sorts
Refugee Week
International Women's Day

Read more about these initiatives below:

Good Relations Week

Good Relations Week aims to embody the spirit of togetherness, delivering a positive message that together we can make a difference to break down barriers and build more inclusive communities. The team holds events in line with each year's theme.

Good Relations week in Ards and North Down has explored Ulster-Scots, Irish folklore and traditions, and how there are shared words, connections and similarities; led discussions about how ''Change Starts With Us'; and has focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to highlight the political, social, economic, and environmental challenges we face as a region.

The team also hosted events reflecting on Northern Ireland and the Decade of Centenaries 1912-1922.

Holocaust Memorial Week

As part of the annual Holocaust Memorial commemoration, Good Relations has hosted holocaust survivors in Bangor City Hall; supported community art exhibitions about the Holocaust in Bangor Carnegie Library; and run series of online discussions with survivors from genocides in Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia and Darfur.

These thought-provoking events continue to educate and inform, promoting understanding of how and why these events occurred. They also challenge attendees/participants to explore and challenge their own prejudices and discrimination, as well as looking at stereotyping and equality issues, and diversity within our society today.

Shared Voices programme (ongoing)

Shared Voices Programme - *Volunteer Opportunity *

We are currently recruiting volunteers for our Shared Voices programme. If you are a 1st or 2nd generation immigrant to Northern Ireland and would like to share your story please visit Be Collective (hosted by Volunteer Now) for more information on this great volunteering opportunity, You can learn more about the Shared Voices Programme below.

What is the Shared Voices Programme?

The Shared Voices programme was developed with the assistance of First and Second generation immigrant volunteers and is aimed primarily at raising awareness of the diversity within our society.

What is the aim of the Shared Voices programme?

The Shared Voices programme aims to assist Good Relations and work towards making the Ards and North Down Borough a shared and safe place for all. Listen to local volunteer Maela talking about why she volunteers for the Shared Voices programme: GR Shared Voices Volunteer Maela - YouTube

Who is the programme for?

The programme is aimed primarily at young people from P5 upwards, primarily in a school environment during 30 minute periods but can be adapted to be delivered within a community setting to smaller groups and to different age groups. Times can be adjusted to what is available.

It Takes All Sorts

The free-to-attend 'It Takes All Sorts' events provide the opportunity to learn about issues that affect many people in our community. These online and in-person sessions cover specific topics with qualified guest speakers.

Topics covered range from Mental Health and Disability Awareness to Domestic Violence, as well as The Local Impact of Brexit, Scam Awarenesss and Cost of Living.

Refugee Week

Online and in-person sessions inviting participants to learn more about refugees, the challenges they face and the contribution that they bring to our society.

In 2023, the Good Relations team hosted a Small Worlds cafe-style event that provided a safe space for participants to encounter others whose lived experience originates from different parts of the world and, more recently, as that of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

The workshop provided the opportunity for attendees to meet with hosts from different countries, who introduced themselves and answered questions about their life stories and their reasons for coming to Northern Ireland.

International Women's Day

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.

Good Relations supports this initiative with events and activities in line with the annual theme and explores inequalities that affect women in Northern Ireland today, as well as celebrating their many achievements.

Past Good relations programmes include:

Living History programme - the team co-ordinated visits to places and facilitated discussions about important documents that have shaped Northern Ireland and Ireland into who we are today.
Exploring Complex Issues - online programme covering topics including Flags & Emblems, Territorial markings, Memorials, Sharing out History and Dealing with the Past.
'Where are you from? Where are you really from? - online programme discussing Diversity, Culture, Tradition and Language.
Cultural Celebrations Around the World - representatives from our diverse communities across Ards and North Down shared their celebrations including Eid, Polish Christmas traditions, Chinese New Year, Diwali (Indian Festival of Light) and Mexican Cinco de Mayo Festival.
Exploring Ards and North Down - programme about the shared history of the Borough of Ards and North Down, uncovering layers of history from before Christianity to the arrival of Ulster-Scots, the Troubles and modern events.
The Establishment of Northern Ireland - delivered as part of the Council's NI100 programme, historian Dr Éamon Phoenix gave a series of online talks about the partition of Ireland, its historical context and key events from 1900 to 1925. There was also a screening of "Stretch out the hand" about the inauguration of the Northern Ireland parliament in 1921. King George V was part of this momentous event in Belfast and delivered a speech with a call for reconciliation.