Building Political Agendas, Workshop with Sinn Féin and Palestinian Independents – 4th March 2021

On 4th March 2021, Forward Thinking convened a workshop with representatives from Sinn Féin and Palestinian political independents, who are currently working to assemble electoral lists ahead of the Palestinian elections. The group discussed the similarities and differences between Sinn Féin’s experience of the peace process in Ireland and the challenges faced by independents in Palestine today.  One of the main issues discussed by the independents was the challenge of building credible political agendas and overcoming internal political divisions.  The Sinn Féin representatives, Gerry Kelly and Pat Sheehan, outlined the importance of building internal cohesion and gaining political strength in order to secure success. They discussed their experience building political alliances on an issue-by-issue basis. Underscoring their approach was a commitment to core principles that they communicated consistently and effectively with the public.