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EU regional and urban development

Ireland-United Kingdom (PEACE)

Programme description

PEACE IV is a unique EU Cohesion Policy Programme that aims to reinforce a peaceful and stable society by fostering reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. It seeks to support actions that will build trust and bring people closer together at a cross-community and cross-border level and that contribute towards a shared society for everyone.

The Programme will focus on the following four areas:

  • Shared Education – ERDF 30 million (13%)
  • Children & Young People – ERDF 57 million (25%)
  • Shared Spaces & Services – ERDF 84.5 million (37%)
  • Building Positive Relations – ERDF 44 million (19%)

    • The remainder of the funding will be used for technical assistance measures to ensure efficient implementation, monitoring and control of the programme (6%)

    Expected impacts

  • The shared education projects will aim to increase the level of direct, sustained and curriculum-based contact between pupils and teachers from all backgrounds. It is expected that 350 schools in the programme area will wish to engage in shared education actions and that up to 144,000 pupils will participate in shared education classrooms. The programme will take a whole school approach and provide training for 2,100 teachers to facilitate shared education and collaborative partnerships.
  • Research shows that children and young people are still negatively affected by the legacy of the conflict. The programme will invest in good relations and mentoring actions that will aim to increase the interaction between children and young people (0-24 years) from all backgrounds, promote respect for diversity and enhance their desire to form positive relationships. Distinctive actions will be available for young people who are most marginalised, most vulnerable and hardest to reach (14-24 years). It is expected that over 43,000 children and young people will gain new skills and competencies that will contribute positively towards unlocking their potential and their capacity to seize opportunities. Local authorities and communities as well as statutory and voluntary organisations will be key actors in developing and implementing actions on the ground.
  • A significant share of the PEACE programme will be used to create new shared spaces and services with a transformative impact. This will also encourage increased economic and social cross-border and cross-community engagement. In terms of services the programme will aim to deliver over 17,500 interventions specifically targeted at victims and survivors of the conflict, for instance to address trauma, assess physical and mental health needs and to assist families to engage in historical processes.
  • The programme will invest in building positive relations and respect among people on a cross-community and cross-border basis. This will include conflict resolution and mediation, local and regional projects to build mutual trust and understanding, projects to explore history in a sensitive manner, activities in sport, arts and culture as well as projects to facilitate personal interaction and mobility between residents from divided neighbourhoods. A total of 17 strategic action plans will be developed at local level to deliver peace-building and reconciliation in a meaningful and integrated way. In addition, a total of 20 actions will be delivered on a region-wide basis. PEACE aims to have a measurable and transformative impact on how people interact with each other as individuals and as part of a wider society.

    • 2021-2027: PEACE PLUS

    Funds

    Regional Development Fund (ERDF): 229.169.320,00 €

    Thematic priorities

    View the data

    Financial information

    Total OP budget: 269.610.967,00 €

    Total EU contribution: 229.169.320,00 €

    View the data