Forward Thinking and the Causeway Institute host an Israeli Delegation in Belfast, 28th-30th August 2012

Forward Thinking, with the Causeway Institute for Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, organised and hosted the visit of a delegation of 5 Israeli Members of the Knesset to Belfast. The delegation included: David Glass, legal advisor to Shas; David Rotem MK (Israel Beitenu); Carmel Shama Hacohen MK (Likud); Amnon Cohen MK (Shas); Yacov Margi MK (Shas), Minister of Religious Services; and Moshe Kahlon MK (Likud), Minister of Communications and Minister of Welfare and Social Services. The Forward Thinking team included Oliver McTernan, William Sieghart, Lord Hylton, Julian Weinberg and Edward Channer.The trip proved highly insightful and useful for the delegation,  providing an in-depth and honest account of the unionist experience of the  peace process where the achievements, failures and mistakes were all put  forward (by speakers such as the Rt. Hon. Jeffrey Donaldson MP, Ian Paisley Jr. MP, Professor Lord Paul Bew, Richard Bullick (negotiator and Special Advisor to the First Minister) and Chris Albiston (Former Assistant Chief Constable).The delegation were received by: the Belfast Jewish Community; the Northern Ireland Office, Hillsborough (where the Rt. Hon. Hugo Swire MP hosted the delegates for lunch); the Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont (where William Hay MLA, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, hosted the delegates for dinner); and the Consulate General of the United States, Belfast.