Speech by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the seminar on Lessons Learned in the Northern Ireland Peace Process in Helsinki, 9 April 2008

It is a great pleasure for me today to address this high-level seminar, which will reflect the political progress made in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement and which will examine the lessons learned from this peace process. Today’s seminar is one tangible outcome of my state visit to Ireland last November. I would like to express my gratitude to the Embassy of Ireland, the British Embassy and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for organising this event.

Today’s world is still characterized by many difficult conflicts. Achieving peace is often a very challenging task. Therefore, it is important that we note that there are also examples of good progress and success. One such example is the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Tomorrow – the 10th of April – marks the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement can now be seen as a turning point in the process, paving the way towards a peaceful future for Northern Ireland. It was an important step away from the bitterness and violence that had claimed the lives of more than 3,600 people and brought immense suffering especially to the civilian population.

The negotiations on the Good Friday Agreement took five tough years, and even after that the process was far from easy. After the initial optimism, it soon became clear that many crucial issues remained to be solved, and the process came to a halt several times. There were also violent incidents which brought back sad memories and also increased bitterness among the people.

This was not the first attempt at achieving peace in the region. So what was it that made this process different from the earlier ones? In this seminar, we will learn more about the reasons behind its success.

Achieving peace in Northern Ireland has been a long process to which many people have contributed. All parties had to be flexible and accept compromises. Also, everyone needed to show a readiness to be open to new options and perspectives that made the whole process possible and kept it going.

We should not forget – nor underestimate – the role of ordinary citizens and their willingness to live in peace together. Many of them had experienced how violence and uncertainty can paralyse society. During my visit to Ireland, I was told of a positive example of grass-roots action, where Catholic and Protestant women work together for day-care arrangements for their children. Such activities can have a huge impact on the overall success of the process.

Since women in many societies have an important role in organising the everyday life of families, they can be powerful agents for change and in confidence-building among different groups. In this context, I would also like to stress the importance of the United Nations Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. This Resolution binds all Member States of the world organisation and provides far-reaching objectives on the role of the women. In Finland, we are currently finalising our national action plan on the implementation of the Resolution.

International cooperation and assistance can provide an important and positive element in conflict management. It can often be helpful, or even crucial, to rely on a neutral third party to take care of tasks with which the conflict parties would not trust each other. Here in Finland we are, of course, pleased that a number of Finns have contributed to the Northern Ireland peace process. These include my predecessor, President Martti Ahtisaari, and two gentlemen who are among the speakers at this seminar today: senior statesman Mr Harri Holkeri and Brigadier-General Tauno Nieminen.

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Last November, in my discussions with President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, I proposed that the Northern Ireland peace process – and all other successful peace processes – should be carefully documented and analysed so that the experience and know-how gained could be made available around the world. This information could be very helpful in finding solutions to other conflicts too.

But it is, of course, necessary to bear in mind that each conflict is unique. A solution that works in one situation may not be applicable elsewhere. Nevertheless, positive outcomes provide examples of how a fragile situation, through cooperation, can turn into a sustainable solution that benefits everyone. This may encourage parties in other conflicts to enter into negotiations. A successful peace process is a visible sign of the fact that peace is, after all, achievable.

The ability to compromise and an understanding that people can truly benefit from working together are crucial elements for success. In Northern Ireland, decades of intense conflict had not brought either party closer to attaining their original goals, while at the same time the continuing crisis had created fear and suffering among the civilian population and stagnation in the economy.

In all peace-building processes, it is important that minorities can feel that their rights too are safeguarded. We have seen this in Kosovo, for example. Everyone must have the opportunity to influence the direction in which society will be developing. Disagreements will always arise, of course, but that is a normal part of political life and democracy.

Societies can remain divided for a long time even after the violence ends. Much work is often needed for a society to become truly unified, as conflicts leave many people with deep-seated traumas. A strong will for reconciliation to heal the wounds and the promotion of cross-community initiatives are important elements of a successful process. Civil society actors can play a key role in this.

Overall, it is helpful for us to recognise that societies moving towards peace and stability may experience many practical difficulties. In protracted conflicts, there is a risk of structural polarization of the entire community. As one practical example of trying to avoid this, I would like to mention the dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian women. The United Nations Development Fund for Women – UNIFEM – is promoting this initiative, which is known as the International Women's Commission for a Just and Sustainable Israeli-Palestinian Peace.


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Finally, I would like to congratulate all the people in Northern Ireland for the brave steps they have taken in the search for sustainable peace. You have set an example for other conflict-torn regions in the world.