In the political aftermath of the Troubles, individuals and communities have been left wondering how to pick up the pieces of the experiences of the past 30 years. In response, a multitude of organisations have sprung into being with the intention of seeking ways to address the affects of the Troubles. They represent a diversity of approaches, from individual counselling to complimentary therapies. In this continuum of trauma-related groups, storytelling/dialogue is one coordinated approach that is increasingly cited as an effective way of enabling people affected by the Troubles to process their diverse and painful experiences. 

“After the Fighting Stops. . .”  was a residential-based dialogue encounter that sought to highlight the increasing role of dialogue and storytelling as a way by which to give individuals a voice in piecing together the wider picture of what has taken place in Northern Ireland over the past 30 years. This conference drew together a fully-representative cross-section of Northern Irish society to examine storytelling and dialogue as a tool in addressing the affects of the Troubles on individuals and communities. Held at the Roe Valley Radisson, this Northwest conference took a creative approach to the typical conference setting. Participants spent much of the three days in small dialogue groups discussing issues, drawing on presentations by international speakers from the U.S./American Indian Country, Colombia, Palestine, and South Africa that helped conference delegates transfer the learning surrounding trauma from the experiences of those nations to that of Northern Ireland. 

The event had two goals. The first was to provide people with the opportunity for critical encounters and opportunities for dialogue that could affect changes in thought that could move the peace process forward on the political level, while generating the potential for personal and community healing. The second was to provide people with various models of effective storytelling. Increasingly, people on both statutory and community levels are asking for opportunities to dialogue about critical issues and to explore what storytelling really means in practice. This unusual and innovative approach to bringing people together will create the space to accomplish both. 

This event was jointly organised by Towards Understanding and Healing and the Community Healing Unit. 

Download the Conference Programme for the schedule of events and speaker biographies.