Educators gathered at the Millennium Forum on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, for the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Festival of Learning, a major event celebrating collaboration and shared education across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
The event focused on promoting connection, collaboration and the continued development of shared education, with participants reflecting on the impact of cross-community partnerships within schools and settings.
The day began with a welcome from the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE team, setting the tone for a programme centred on partnership and opportunity. Throughout the morning, attendees heard a series of “Shared Education Journeys,” with contributions from both young people and educators. Keynote speaker Professor Tony Gallagher, from Queen’s University Belfast, highlighted the importance of amplifying the voices of children and young people in shaping shared education initiatives.
The festival also showcased excellent work undertaken by partnerships supported by PEACEPLUS ASPIRE within early years settings, primary and post-primary schools across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
Interactive elements, including the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Café and a series of community connector stalls, provided opportunities for networking, discussion and reflection throughout the day.
In the afternoon session, the focus shifted to sustainability and long-term impact. Cheryl Stafford from the Education and Training Inspectorate examined the role of shared education within inspection frameworks, while Peter Day from the Community Relations Council facilitated discussions on developing a shared community vision.
Antoin Moran, Project Manager for PEACEPLUS ASPIRE, said the festival demonstrated both the progress made by the project and the ambition for the future of shared education.
What we’re seeing through PEACEPLUS ASPIRE is not just one-off collaboration, but the development of sustained, meaningful partnerships between schools, early years settings and communities. These partnerships are creating real opportunities for children and young people to learn with and from each other, breaking down barriers and building understanding from an early stage.
Events like the Festival of Learning are important because they bring those experiences together — they allow us to share best practice, reflect on what works, and importantly, plan for how we embed shared education more deeply and sustainably to deliver systemic change.
To learn more about PEACEPLUS ASPIRE, check out our website here.