More than a thousand residents are participating in different conversations.

Funding was provided to two initiatives aimed at fostering cross-border collaboration and to two programmes under the Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP) that aim to assist the most vulnerable youth in society.

The money also goes towards the Peace Impact Programme to carry out tactful interventions in communities that have either never participated in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts or have only done so in part.

The assistance comes at a “critical time in our peacebuilding journey,” according to IFI Chairman Paddy Harte.

“It is evident that significant challenges remain, even though we acknowledge that much progress has been made since the Good Friday Agreement was signed over 25 years ago,” he stated.

“Our initiatives are operating in a difficult environment.”

“There are still issues with rising paramilitary activity, youth recruitment, criminal activity, anti-social behaviour, culture, and identity, as well as sectarianism and criminal activity.”

We also recognise that certain communities have regressed as a result of the Windsor Framework's aftermath, escalating division.

One of the few institutions still able to interact with the most disadvantaged members of society is the IFI. To address the challenging remaining areas of peacebuilding, we are dedicated to collaborating directly with communities through tactful communication and conflict resolution.

The Irish, British, US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand governments, as well as the European Union, are among the foreign contributors who fund the IFI, which was established by the two countries in 1986 as an independent international institution.

At the moment, it funds 20 projects in the Border counties and 81 projects in the North.