Belfast, Northern Ireland: Project Common Bond Unites Teens Whose Lives Have Been Touched By Terrorism

NEW YORK, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Seventy international teens who have lost an immediate family member to a terrorist incident will join together in Belfast, Northern Ireland for a unique peace-building program called Project Common Bond, under the auspices of Tuesday's Children, the premiere nonprofit organization serving the 9/11 community.

The eight-day community-building and educational program, in partnership with the Harvard Law School Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program, will be held at Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland from August 1st through August 8th.

For the third year, Project Common Bond allows teens from the United States, Spain, Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Argentina to form a community of peers that contributes to international dialogue about terrorism, peace, and other issues that impact their lives. This marks the first time that Common Bond is being held outside the United States and is hosting teens from nations in conflict.

Harvard's clinical program serves as an important partner and has designed a curriculum focusing on conflict resolution and communication. Led by a professional faculty including psychologists, educators, social workers and health care professionals who are trained in leadership, peace-building, traumatic loss and resilience, the group will engage in discussions on global leadership issues, and will participate in team-based activities designed to foster trust, healing and communication.

"For children whose lives have been directly touched by terrorism, the sudden, violent, and public nature of their loss becomes an overwhelming and defining characteristic of their lives," said Terry Grace Sears, president of Tuesday's Children. "Tuesday's Children created Project Common Bond so that children from all over the world who have experienced similar tragedies can build resilience and strength together and positively shape their own future."

"This special program could not have been possible without the support of our Irish partners, the American Ireland Fund, the US Ireland Business Alliance and Belfast Harbour Commissioner Len O' Hagan."  

The young adults, ages 15 to 20, will also take advantage of the culturally rich city of Belfast, with a tour of the Peace Walls, and a workshop at the Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Center in Ballycastle.  

The 2010 international partners include:

• European Network of Victims of Terrorism
• Mothers of Beslan
• The Parents Circle
• Russian Children's Welfare Society
• S.A.V.E.R./N.A.V.E.R.
• Seeds of Peace
• Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
• The Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University

SOURCE Tuesday's Children

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