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Ministers involved in a unique liaison involving the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic churches in Ireland and USA which is making a significant contribution to the business world hold their annual meeting in Belfast this Friday, 02-10-98 beginning at 9.00am in Church House, Fisherwick Place.
Known as the Inter Church Committee on Northern Ireland, in 1994, in association with the Church of Ireland and Methodist denominations, it issued the Churches' Call for Fair Employment and Investment in Northern Ireland. This helped develop common ground across religious lines on the need for fair employment but also encouraged further investment into Northern Ireland from the USA aimed at all sections of the community. The Call was supported by then Prime Minister John Major and President Clinton in addition to political parties and trade organisations in Northern Ireland and the USA.
Since then the committee together with the Training and Employment Agency has developed the Business Education Initiative. In just 3 years this Initiative has helped around 500 students from Northern Ireland and the border counties to undertake 9 months business training at top American colleges in a programme funded by the Training and Employment Agency, the IFI, the County Enterprise Boards of the Border Counties, the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation and the American Colleges who waive all tuition fees.
The Committee's membership comprises representatives of the Roman Catholic Church in Northern Ireland and the USA and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the USA. Those representatives include Rev Hank Postel of the Presbyterian Church in the USA, Dr John Dunlop and Dr Sam Hutchinson from the Irish Presbyterian Church, Bishop of Kansas, Most Rev Raymond Boland and Mr John Carr of the US Catholic Conference and Most Rev Anthony Farquhar, Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor and Most Rev Gerry Clifford, Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh representing the Irish Roman Catholic Church.
The group will be addressed this evening, Thursday, at a private dinner by the Minister of Political Affairs Mr Paul Murphy with the main business meeting taking place tomorrow, Friday 02-10-98 in Church House beginning at 9.00am
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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