2014 Festival

Jan 15th

4 CORNERS FEAST

In conjunction with Simon Community, Depaul Ireland, Welcome Centre and Salvation Army in BELFAST CITY HALL

Jan 16th

PEACE NETWORKING EVENT

This event is for faith groups who are engaging in peace-building work in the North and West of Belfast. It is extended to two people from each faith group and aims to provide opportunities to learn more about the peace building work of others. It’s also a chance to network and get inspiration for future projects.

Jan 2nd

‘HEAR MY VOICE’: MARKING THE 100th WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS & REFUGEES

in partnership with EMBRACE NI in CLONARD MONASTERY, Clonard Gardens

In partnership with Embrace NI, this evening we will listen to the experiences of people who have come to Northern Ireland to seek asylum or as migrant workers. Launching Embrace’s new DVD. Refreshments served.

Jan 17th

4 CORNERS, OUR STORIES AT STORMONT

with BELFAST CITY POLITICIANS in STORMONT LONG GALLERY

This will give us an opportunity to listen to the stories of politicians. Why did they decide to go into politics? How did they choose their party? What drives them? Not a night for debate or disagreement, but for listening.

Alisdair McDonnell MP MLA

• Chris Lyttle MLA
• Jennifer McCann MLA
• Michael Copeland MLA
• Councillor Lee Reynolds

Chaired by Tara Mills, BBC NI

Jan 19th

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PEACE IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

with Prof. RODDY COWIE in FITZROY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, University Street

Has Jesus’ Sermon on The Mount anything to say about making peace? Has psychology? Can they both blend to bring some insight? Professor Roddy Cowie from Queen’s University School of Psychology asks and answers these questions.

Jan 21st

PEACE NETWORKING EVENT

This event is for faith groups who are engaging in peace-building work in the South and East of Belfast. It is extended to two people from each faith group and aims to provide opportunities to learn more about the peace building work of others. It’s also a chance to network and get inspiration for future projects.

Jan 22nd

‘STARTING’ Tenx9 WITH 4 CORNERS

In partnership with Tenx9 in THE BLACK BOX, Hill Street

Belfast’s monthly storytelling event Tenx9 has become a fixture on the Belfast arts scene and inspired similar ventures far and wide. Ten- minute stories by nine people, the January event is themed “Starting” with 4 Corners in mind.

Jan 24th

4 CORNERS PRAYER BREAKFAST

Four people from public life – 3 commissioners – Michael Wardlow, (Equality), Katherine Stone, (Victims) Patricia Lewsley (Children and Young people) and the Lord Mayor, Councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir will indicate specific areas where they would like prayer support. The morning provides an opportunity to facilitate contacts and networking: the emphasis will be on building up our city through prayer.

Jan 24th

‘SHOULD OLD AQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT? ROBBIE BURNS CELEBRATION

with PHILIP ORR and MIKE GASTON in SACRED HEART PARISH CENTRE, Glenview St

The links between Scotland and the north of Ireland go back a long way, one example of those links is the poet Robbie Burns who has inspired many people all around the world and on both sides of the North Channel with his passion for humanity, his humour, his love songs and his radical political views. Robbie Burns belongs to all of us, as does the Scots tongue in which he wrote. Philip Orr is a freelance writer and community worker based in Carrickfergus. Mike Gaston is a songwriter and singer from Ballygowan, Co. Down. During the evening, there will be a supper of tatties, neeps and haggis – BYOB.

Jan 27th

4 CORNERS, 4 STORIES WITH BELFAST CHURCH LEADERS

The theme for this year’s week of prayer for Christian Unity is the rhetorical question put by Paul to the church in Corinth: “Is Christ Dividied?” In this special event church leaders from four different traditions and four corners of the city tell their personal stories against the backdrop of the question “Is Christ divided in this city?” The church leaders are:

• Bishop Harold Miller: Anglican Bishop of Down and Dromore (East Belfast resident)
• Rev. Dr. Norman Hamilton: Former Moderator and Minister of Ballysillan Presbyterian (North Belfast)
• Father Ciaran Dallat: Assistant Priest in St. Peter’s Catholic Cathedral (West Belfast) • Rev. Dr. Heather Morris: President of the

Methodist Church in Ireland and Director of Ministry at Edgehill Theological College (South Belfast).

• Chaired by John Brewer (Queen’s University)

Jan 29th

SORRY FOR YOUR TROUBLES

With PÁDRAIG Ó TUAMA in AN CULTÚRLANN, Falls Road

Pádraig reads from his second collection of poetry and we hear some of the stories that inspired them. This collection concentrates on ‘The Troubles’ and includes the stories of real people struggling with the events of our recent history.

Jan 30th

LISTENING TO YOUR ENEMIES

With PAT MAGEE and JO BERRY (chaired by Rev Dr LESLEY CARROLL) in SKAINOS, Newtownards Road

Pat Magee was a Brighton bomber. Jo Berry’s father was killed in the blast. They have since met and explored reconciliation in very personal ways. Such courageous and difficult ventures are vital for any future hope of Belfast coming together.

Chaired by Rev Dr Lesley Carroll, Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church.

Jan 31st

‘WORSHIP IN THE WEST: THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE’

Come join us to worship in West Belfast as we get noisy in praise. We will have a cross- denominational worship band and people from different church backgrounds (and none!) leading us in prayer for issues affecting the West and wider City.

Feb 1st

‘PEACE’ WALL PRAYERS: IS CHRIST DIVIDED?

In BELFAST CITY HALL and other locations across BELFAST

Belfast City Hall is shared space in our city, but even it has become a focal point of division in recent times. This simple act of unified prayer will be symbolic of our desire in the heart of our city for unity and peace. You are encouraged to gather in front of the City Hall at 8.30am to pray for our city. This will be a chance to encounter people from all over Belfast and, at an appropriate time, join them in saying aloud the prayer for Belfast as produced by the Belfast City Council.

From there we make our way to our own area of the city for 10.30am (this means there’s time for a coffee in the city centre to support the local traders before making your way to the prayer in your part of the city.)

Belfast is a city with many walls. ‘Peace’ walls divide the community in different parts of the city. There are other walls too. Division, intolerance and prejudice divide people one from another, not just in religion or politics, but also in areas of nationality and race. This part of the event involves us confronting these divisions by being present there and praying for a society which does not need such division.

There will be a location in each area of the city for people to congregate:

• North Belfast: ‘Peace’ wall in Duncairn Gardens beside The Lighthouse Project
• South Belfast The International Meeting Point

in 133 Lisburn Road

• West Belfast: ‘Peace’ Wall in Workman Avenue close to Springfield Road Methodist Church
• East Belfast: Skainos, 239 Newtownards Road

Feb 1st

WHERE THERE ARE STORIES THERE ARE SONGS (AND POEMS)

with ANTHONY TONER, DAVE THOMPSON and EL GRUER in 174 TRUST, Antrim Road

“Where there are people there are stories, Where there are stories there are songs, where there are songs there are people searching for where they belong.

This year’s 4 Corners Festival emphasises story telling – and more importantly, in our Belfast situation, listening to stories. To conclude the festival we are delighted to have two songwriters (Anthony Toner and Dave Thompson) and a poet (El Gruer) who tell stories both subjective and objective. Tonight they will talk about how stories and places have influenced their work and perform some of those songs and poems.