Today the European Commission adopted the new EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE IV) worth almost 270 million euro, with 229 million euro coming from the European Regional Development Fund. PEACE IV is a unique Cohesion Policy programme aiming to reinforce a peaceful and stable society by fostering reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. The programme seeks to support actions that will build trust and bring people closer together at a cross-community an
- 30 November 2015
Today the European Commission adopted the new EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE IV) worth almost 270 million euro, with 229 million euro coming from the European Regional Development Fund.
PEACE IV is a unique Cohesion Policy programme aiming to reinforce a peaceful and stable society by fostering reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. The programme seeks to support actions that will build trust and bring people closer together at a cross-community and cross-border level and that contribute towards a shared society for everyone.
Despite the significant progress achieved over the last 25 years, the programme area is still affected by the legacy of the conflict, with levels of segregation that limit the potential for the development of positive relationships between individuals and communities.
The PEACE IV Programme will focus on the following priorities:
- 30 million euro will be provided for shared education projects that will increase contacts between pupils and teachers from all backgrounds. The programme will encourage schools to engage in shared education actions and provide training for teachers.
- 57 million euro will be invested in the future of the next generation who, as research shows, is still negatively affected by the legacy of the conflict. The programme will invest, for instance, in peer mentoring actions and local community youth initiatives to increase the interaction between children and young people from all backgrounds and promote respect for diversity.
- 84.5 million euro have been earmarked for the creation of new shared spaces and services. The programme will support, for example, interventions for victims and survivors of the conflict, to address trauma, assess physical and mental health needs and assist families to engage in historical processes.
- 44 million euro will be used to support local and region-wide projects that will build mutual trust and understanding, involving sports, arts and culture as ways of facilitating interaction and mobility between residents from divided neighbourhoods.
The remainder of the funding will be used for technical assistance measures to ensure efficient implementation, monitoring and control of the programme.
More information: