School students in Northern Ireland invited to reflect on Good Friday Agreement

School students and youth groups in Northern Ireland are being invited to reflect on the lasting impact of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement through poetry, through a new poetry collection which has just been launched.

The programme is being organised by Never Such Innocence, a charity which provides tools for children and young people to reflect on the realities of war and conflict and to make their voices heard.

The collection is open to both primary and secondary school pupils as well as members of youth groups. The young poets are encouraged to write a 25 word or 25 line poem to mark the 25 years since the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and their hopes for the future.

Winning poems will be published in a digital booklet and showcased at a special event in Northern Ireland later this year.

Poems should be submitted by 15 June.

Schools and youth groups are encouraged to utilise the free educational resources developed by The National Archives as part of the Northern Ireland Office programme to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

Secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, said: "Never Such Innocence’s poetry collection is a fantastic opportunity for school students and youth groups to get creative with poetry and reflect on the last 25 years since the signing of the historic Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

"The educational resources developed by The National Archives also serve as a great opportunity for schools and teachers to frame lesson plans and educate pupils on the significance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement to further their understanding of the Agreement and the incredible progress Northern Ireland has made.

Never Such Innocence chief executive Officer Katie Salari, said: "Young people are the leaders and peace keepers of tomorrow - your voices matter. We can’t wait to read your fantastic poems and hear your reflections on this important anniversary!"

Image by David Schwarzenberg from Pixabay