WARRINGTON peace campaigners Colin and Wendy Parry have been invited by the American government to address the international community on how it can improve support for those who suffer at the hands of terrorism.
The couple who lost their 12-year-old son Tim following the IRA bomb attack on Warrington nearly 20 years ago, are invited as guests of the United States Government (State Department – Centre for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications) to address a meeting of 30 member countries at a high level meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The couple lost their son alongside three-year-old Johnathan Ball in the 1993 IRA bombing and have spent the past two decades campaigning for peace and founded the Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace in memory of the boys.
They inspired the development of an international Peace Centre delivering programmes to support victims of political violence and to work to challenge extremism and those who support acts of terrorism.
The Global Counterterrorism Forum is chaired by the United States and Turkey and draws members from 30 countries including the United Kingdom. The organisation is a partner of the United Nations and its next meeting is to be held in the United Arab Emirates to consider examples of programmes that support victims of terrorism.
In 2002, the Foundation for Peace launched a programme called the ‘Legacy Project’ that supported victims and those affected by the troubles. The programme has developed considerably since then, reflecting changes in society and global conflict and is now called ‘Survivors for Peace’ and offers support to victims and those affected by any form of terrorism or violent conflict. It is a unique project that is attracting global attention.
Colin said: “This is the twentieth anniversary year following an event that changed mine and Wendy’s lives forever. We set out to keep our son’s name alive and created the Peace Centre, an impressive building, as a fitting legacy to Tim and Johnathan. The work that goes on inside the Peace Centre and also on an increasingly national and international basis is equally impressive. “Survivors for Peace is unique because it enables victims to participate in carefully researched programmes where they can share their experiences with others and bring about positive change in theirlives.
“The fact that our work is now being viewed from Capitol Hill in Washington DC and diplomats and government officials have invited Wendy and me to present our work is a great honour and we hope that the work we started in Warrington will be adopted by the wider international community.”
Wendy and Colin will visit the UAE next month (February) in the lead up to the 20th anniversary commemorations and will present the Foundation’s work and discuss how ‘Survivors for Peace’ could be incorporated into the United Nations global counterterrorism strategy.
For more information on the work of the charity visit www.foundation4peace.org
Pictures show Colin and Wendy outside the Peace Centre and the two boys who died in the Warrington bombing.
