Ciarán Hinds has lent his distinctive voice to an animated film charting the contribution of an integrated education charity to peace and reconciliation.
The Game of Thrones and Kin star narrated Our Peace, Our Future, which tells the story of integrated education following the Good Friday Agreement.
The short animated film marks the work carried out by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF).
A launch event included a panel discussion hosted by journalist Jim Fitzpatrick as well as a presentation on the progress of integrated education delivered by Dr Matt Milliken, a co-author of the ‘Transforming Education’ paper series by Ulster University.
Since 1998 the IEF has supported the development of 28 integrated schools, helping to provide an additional 16,000 Integrated school places.
Peter Osborne, IEF chair, told the event that “demand was at its highest ever level following 27 positive parental ballots in support of schools transforming to integration status in just the past five years”.
Grace Boyle from Integrated AlumNI also told the event: “Some in Northern Ireland will perceive that integration simply means mixing across our traditional religious divide.
“But integrated education is so much more than that, it’s about setting people up for diverse life patterns and relationships; it’s about enhancing accessibility and breaking down barriers to education; it’s about embracing our pluralist identities and striving for a more peaceful society.
“Integrated education is the one of the biggest community projects in Northern Ireland, so let’s make it work for everyone.”
