From 30th of August to 3rd of September, the Young Greens of England and Wales, the Scottish Young Greens and Óige Ghlas (Irish Young Greens) summer camp took place in Drumshanbo, Ireland. This collaboration with the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) marked 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
It was amazing to see so many people from different nations attend. Overall, we welcomed 36 attendees from 8 different countries which demonstrates the success the camp had in engaging young people and motivating cross party relations!
It was a busy few days for all those involved, learning about Irish history and the British colonization of Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement was examined in further detail, especially how it has shaped Northern Ireland and its relationship with both the rest of the UK and Ireland. A focus throughout the camp was on how Brexit has frayed these relationships and continues to jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland. We examined the complex social and political situation in Ireland, including the impact this has had on its citizens and this experience was used to examine how we can learn from the Good Friday agreement in a way that influences our approach to future conflicts. In addition, we wrote two FYEG resolutions around the Good Friday Agreement and created some brilliant theatrical performances!
In addition to the camp providing an important learning experience, we created some wonderful bonds and strengthened the Young Greens community across different countries. Furthermore, it produced practical, educational, and motivational resources to encourage the continuation of events like this in the future.
Thanks so much to everyone who helped put this together and to everyone who attended!