Bridges in Belfast serve both as a means of dividing as well as well of uniting people in various parts of the city. Youthcom has been awarded funding of £500,000 by the International Fund for Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, for an innovative 3 year cross-community capacity building programme which aims to unite young people from communities traditionally on either side of these bridges.

Crossing the Bridges aims to unite young people from what have been traditionally hard line Republican and Loyalist areas. The programme will involve young people from four loyalist communities and young people from four nationalist communities primarily in East and West of Belfast. The project was formally launched at the Big Wheel, beside Belfast City Hall, by Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern on Thursday 10 April.

Crossing the Bridges is a follow up to the East Meets West programme which ran for 18 months between young people from the Corpus Christi Youth Centre, Ballymurphy and young people from the Tullycarnet estate.

The aim of the project is to enable young people to secure the information and skills necessary to enable them to actively participate in peace building, both within their own communities, and also between communities on either side of the sectarian divide.

Among the key elements of this youth programme are the participation of young people in An Gaisce(President's Award)/ Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award; a Youth Leadership Award; a 15 mile expedition; cultural diversity celebrations; anti-sectarian workshops and a Community Relations Conference.

Mr Brian McKee, Director of Youthcom stated: "There is the expectation that after their participation and training achieved through this programme, the adult volunteers and young people will pass on their own skills to others, take active participation in future cross community events and activities, and actively promote the shared and integral vision of the project to other community groups. This project is a wonderful example of young people from communities most affected by conflict playing their part in the creation of a new and shared future for us all."

Click here for photographs of launch