FCT 2011 - Outcomes

Forum for Cities in Transition (FCT)
Outcomes of the 2nd Annual Conference
Derry~Londonderry
23th – 26th May 2011

The Forum for Cities in Transition (FCT) is explicitly grounded in there being tangible outcomes at the close of each conference, a commitment made by each city to carrying out a project that will further transition, reconciliation, and development in its own city and/or to help one of its sister cities where its expertise in a particular area can be of significant benefit. Commitments are designed so that cities on the higher rungs of transition assist those on the lower rungs. They are embodied in the principle that divided cities collectively can do together what they cannot do separately.

The process is reciprocal because in serving their sister cities, those further along in transition are sharply reminded of where they once were, where they are now, and where they hope to go in continuing their own processes of transition and reconciliation.

With regard to outcomes pledged in Mitrovicë/Kosovska Mitrovica May 2010 that are now completed or due to be completed by the fall 2011 the following reflects the current position:

  • Derry~Londonderry hosted the FCT 2011 conference.
  • The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and its Kosovo counterpart completed a joint policing partnership under which they exchanged best practice; the PSNI hosted a team of Kosovo police officials from Mitrovica representing both Kosovo/Albanian and Serbian officers in May 2011.
  • The Haifa delegation will host members of the local volunteer corps from both Mitrovicë/Kosovska Mitrovica in Haifa and Jerusalem in August 2011 to learn from cross community youth initiatives that have proven successful in bridging community divides in Haifa.
  • The McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, placed Ardiana Osmani and Milos Golubovic, in one of the School's programs, beginning in September 2011.
  • The Northern Ireland Foundation (NIF), co-secretariat arm of the FCT conferred two special citizenship awards, the highest that the Foundation can award, on Vuk Mitrovic and Sanja Mrkic, as part of a study visit to NGOs and the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland in May 2011.
  • Women representing participating cities established a Women’s Forum to explore the special attributes women bring to the negotiating table; how such attributes differ both in style and approach to substance from conventional models, usually designed by men with men playing the key roles in the negotiating process.


In accordance with the mission statement of the FCT, the emphasis of the Derry~Londonderry 2011 conference was also on the realization the of practical outcomes that would assist participating cities improve the daily lives of their citizens, and enhance engagement between officials, NGOs, and residents.

As a result of the extensive one to one networking, bilateral and multilateral deliberations that took place among city delegations during the Derry~Londonderry conference, both in formal and informal sessions, the following projects were pledged as the outcomes of the 2011 forum:

KIRKUK:
  • Announced the City of Kirkuk will host the FCT conference in 2012.
  • Will work with the Northwest Regional College Derry~Londonderry to facilitate exchanges of staff and students with the Kirkuk College of Technology.
  • Will work with Kaduna and Ramallah on sectarianism issues, with the three cities committed initially to establish the modalities of how they might approach this outcome using the FCT’s web site as the basis of communication and beginning the dialogue; the ultimate goal of this commitment is multilateral exchanges among the youth of these cities to take place in all three cities over a period of time.
  • Will explore the establishment of a fund similar to the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) and draw on the expertise the IFI attendees offered.
MITROVICA:
  • Will continue the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) ~ Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Training exchange.
  • Will avail themselves of the expertise of both Nicosia and Derry~Londonderry to establish a business program, specifically designed to meet Mitrovica’s special needs.
  • Will continue to play a leading role in developing and implementing the Women’s Forum.
DERRY~LONDONDERRY:
  • Will continue the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) ~ Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Training exchange.
  • Will convene a one day retreat for members of the Derry Forum committee to explore ways in which Derry~Londonderry can combat sectarianism with the intention of defining the modalities of programs reflecting their deliberations to the school authorities in their respective communities with a view to having a program with similar content accepted and becoming part every school’s curriculum.
  • Will (with Ramallah and Kaduna) develop college links and lectures (retired faculty) to run various training classes; Will explore with the relevant authorities how Derry/Londonderry might initiate a process for granting Kaduna students scholarships
  • Will encourage cultural tourism kick starting it with visits by members of the Derry~Londonderry tourism office to a number of cities with a view to having them as guests for Derry~Londonderry City of Culture 2013.
MITTE:
  • Will initiate an exchange with Nicosia: 5 Greek and 5 Turkish Cypriots to visit Germany and in return send 5 Turk and 5 German youth to Nicosia, Cyprus.
BEIRUT:
  • Will work with Nicosia to produce a film festival about peace building and reconciliation, but which will require the engagement of all FCT cities.
  • Will create an exchange program with Nicosia to facilitate the exchange of community volunteers between the two cities.
  • Will work with the PSNI on a policing project that will focus on protection of human rights.
RAMALLAH:
  • Will host Muslims and Christians from Kaduna and develop an exchange program.
  • Will develop Diaspora links for fundraising assisted by Haifa.
BELFAST:
  • PSNI exchange includes Belfast.
  • Informal discussions to develop further links with Derry~Londonderry.
MOSTAR:
  • Invited Director Padraig O’Malley to Mostar to meet with Mayor Beslic to gain Municipal representation.
  • Will further train youth and professionals in Mostar in art and cultural activities, concentrating on the use of art as a tool of reconciliation in conflicts.
  • Will exchange activities for art in public spaces and identify possible donors with the Playhouse in Derry~Londonderry.
JERUSALEM:
  • Accessibility of postal services to residents from East Jerusalem
  • Equalization for rights and services that are given to school children in East and West Jerusalem (received an approval from the city council for extra budget for this initiative)
  • 2 new baby-clinics in East Jerusalem (since last year, delegates opened 1 new clinic).
  • 2 new welfare offices in East Jerusalem
  • Equalize the queuing time for Arabs and Jews in municipal tax office
  • Equalizing salary for community social workers from East Jerusalem
  • Implementation of a city regulation - Free dental examinations for all kids (ages 6-16) including children from East Jerusalem.
  • Organize a local FCT in Jerusalem: with a long conference or a long series of meetings for high level officials, managers and deputy mayors from East Jerusalem with community leaders, religious leaders and activists from ease Jerusalem to share experiences, challenges (including challenges of working with the other side) already partly funded.
NICOSIA:
  • Will initiate a youth exchange with Mitte (see: Mitte).
  • Become actively engaged in the Women’s Forum.
  • Coordinate (all FCT city) film festival with Beirut.
  • Volunteer-Cultural exchange with Beirut.
KADUNA:
  • Will come to Derry~Londonderry for a learning visit regarding hosting the FCT conference in 2013.
  • Invite IFI officials to visit Kaduna to explore the possibility to set up a Kaduna Fund.
  • Community exchange re: sectarianism with Ramallah (see Ramallah)
  • Will explore with the University of Ulster how to establish exchange programs both at student and faculty levels.
HAIFA:
  • Will assist Ramallah with a platform for Diaspora fundraising.
  • Will engage further with the Women’s Forum with a view to hosting a group of women in Haifa.
  • Will establish a diverse multicultural centre for dialogue. Research will be presented in 2012.
ALL CITIES:  
  • New City signatures to the Call to Action, now numbering 65.
  • All Cities will participate in the Film Festival~Promoting Reconciliation.
  • Will engage with the Women’s Forum.


The effectiveness of the FCT depends on the above outcomes being translated into action. The FCT Secretariat pledges to follow up on every outcome agreed to ensure implementation but ultimately, responsibility for and action towards project implementation belongs to the cities themselves.

FCT Secretariat
May 2011

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The logo for the Forum for Cities in Transition was based on the semi-circular arrangement of tables for the plenary sessions at the initial conference that took place April 14-16, 2008, at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. There is further inspiration from King Arthur's famed Round Table, with no head and everyone who sits there having equal status. In this design, the circle is presently half-complete, but with leaders of each city at their place, there will be collaborative work among Forum participants to realise a full circle.

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