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Rishi Sunak to mark Good Friday Agreement with praise for young people Good Friday Agreement: Hillary Clinton urges NI parties to return to power sharing
(about 3 hours later)
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will pay tribute to the contribution young people have made to peace when he returns to Northern Ireland this week. Hillary Clinton is in Belfast for a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
He will take part in events to mark 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement. Hillary Clinton has urged political parties in Northern Ireland to return to power sharing.
Among those events will be a gala dinner to honour those who signed the 1998 deal and the "remarkable" young people continuing the peace efforts. The former US Secretary of State is in Belfast for a conference marking 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement.
The PM visited Northern Ireland last week when he welcomed US President Joe Biden on his visit Belfast. She addressed an audience at the Washington-Ireland Program headquarters in the city centre on Sunday.
Ahead of his latest trip, Mr Sunak said he was due to meet some of the "leading architects" behind the peace agreement. There, she said the post-Brexit deal, the Windsor Framework, provides an economic boost that should not be missed.
He will acknowledge their "courage, imagination and perseverance" when he gives the closing speech at a Queen's University Belfast conference about the Good Friday Agreement. Asked about the future of Northern Ireland, she said: "Part of what I hope happens is that people from every part of the political system here will decide that the government needs to get back into business."
She added: "Given the Windsor agreement, this is an opportunity unlike any for economic development growth, investment, business expansion - because Northern Ireland now has a unique and privileged position."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will pay tribute to the contribution young people have made to peace when he returns to Northern Ireland this week to take part in events to mark the 25th anniversary of the agreement.
Among those events will be a gala dinner to honour those who signed the 1998 deal and the "remarkable" young people continuing peace efforts.
Joe Biden met young people when he opened Ulster University's new Belfast campus last weekJoe Biden met young people when he opened Ulster University's new Belfast campus last week
The PM visited Northern Ireland last week when he welcomed US President Joe Biden on his visit to Belfast.
Ahead of his latest trip forthcoming, Mr Sunak said he was due to meet some of the "leading architects" of the peace deal.
He will acknowledge their "courage, imagination and perseverance" when he gives the closing speech at a Queen's University Belfast conference about the agreement.
"It is a tribute to the 1998 agreement that we also see a younger generation of inspirational people across Northern Ireland today," said Mr Sunak on Sunday."It is a tribute to the 1998 agreement that we also see a younger generation of inspirational people across Northern Ireland today," said Mr Sunak on Sunday.
He praised young people who had worked to "heal the wounds of a dark and difficult past" after those before them had set the "groundwork for a better future".
His comments come a few days after President Biden used a speech in Belfast to say that young people were at the "cutting edge" of Northern Ireland's future.His comments come a few days after President Biden used a speech in Belfast to say that young people were at the "cutting edge" of Northern Ireland's future.
Read more about the agreementRead more about the agreement
EXPLAINER: What is the agreement?EXPLAINER: What is the agreement?
ANALYSIS: Is it still fit for purpose?ANALYSIS: Is it still fit for purpose?
REFLECTION: The 'bitter' price of peaceREFLECTION: The 'bitter' price of peace
Queen's University is hosting a conference marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement featuring speeches and panel discussions from former and current political leaders over three days, beginning on Monday. Joe Kennedy III, US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, attended a service to mark the 25th anniversary of the agreement in Clonard Monastery on Sunday
Bill and Hillary Clinton have arrived in Belfast ahead of the conference. On Sunday, political and Church leaders attended a service at Clonard Monastery in Belfast to mark the anniversary of the agreement.
Former US Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement, is also in the city. Among them were Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, and the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, John McDowell.
On Sunday afternoon he attended a performance of a play about the 1998 agreement at the Lyric Theatre and received a standing ovation from the audience as he took his seat. The US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, was also in attendance, as was NIO minister Steve Baker and figures from across NI's political divide.
Senator George Mitchell received a standing ovation from theatre-goers in Belfast Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is hosting a conference marking the anniversary, featuring speeches and panel discussions from former and current political leaders over three days, beginning on Monday.
Former US Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement, is in Belfast for the anniversary events.
On Sunday afternoon he attended a play about the 1998 agreement at the Lyric Theatre and received a standing ovation from the audience as he took his seat.
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Richard Croxford, the actor who plays Mr Mitchell in the play, titled Agreement, said before the performance that he felt "emotional and scared" about having to act in front of the man he was pretending to be.Richard Croxford, the actor who plays Mr Mitchell in the play, titled Agreement, said before the performance that he felt "emotional and scared" about having to act in front of the man he was pretending to be.
"He is a phenomenal man, I have not got enough good things to say about him," he said. "He is a phenomenal man. I have not got enough good things to say about him," he said.
Ryan Feeney from Queen's University said the Agreement 25 conference would mark "how far we've come" since the peace deal as well as considering "how we look to the next 25 years". Ryan Feeney from QUB said the Agreement 25 conference would mark "how far we've come" since the peace deal, as well as considering "how we look to the next 25 years".
Sir Tony Blair, the prime minister who signed the 1998 deal, will also take part in events alongside former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern. Sir Tony Blair, who as UK prime minister in 1998 was one of the signatories to the deal, will also take part in events alongside former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern.
Sir Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, pictured during an event in 2018 to the agreement's 20th anniversary, will speak at Queen's University Belfast this weekSir Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, pictured during an event in 2018 to the agreement's 20th anniversary, will speak at Queen's University Belfast this week
Mr Mitchell will open the Queen's University conference with an address on Monday and was "extremely excited" to do so, said Mr Feeney. Mr Mitchell will open the QUB conference with an address on Monday and was "extremely excited" to do so, said Mr Feeney.
"We're over the moon that our former [university] chancellor and chair of the peace talks is coming here," he added."We're over the moon that our former [university] chancellor and chair of the peace talks is coming here," he added.
"He was invited by President Biden to come [last week] on Air Force One but declined because he had made this commitment with Queen's.""He was invited by President Biden to come [last week] on Air Force One but declined because he had made this commitment with Queen's."
Also at the performance in the Lyric Theatre were former Irish President Mary McAleese and Monica McWilliams, the co-founder of the Women's Coalition. Also at the performance in the Lyric Theatre were former Irish President Mary McAleese and Monica McWilliams, co-founder of the Women's Coalition.
Alistair Campbell, who was Mr Blair's official spokesperson in 1998, was also in the audience.Alistair Campbell, who was Mr Blair's official spokesperson in 1998, was also in the audience.
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Rishi SunakRishi Sunak
Queen's University BelfastQueen's University Belfast
Good Friday AgreementGood Friday Agreement