New project aiming to create employment opportunities and celebrate Bishop Street/Fountain shared history

A new project recently launched at the Gasyard Centre is promising to build capacity amongst participants from both communities to seek employment in the tourism and heritage sector whilst also showcasing the heritage of the Bishop Street/Fountain area.

The 'Our Journey to Peace' project is being delivered by the Gasyard Development Trust with support from PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and is funded through Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan under the 'Celebrating Cultural Diversity' theme.

The project is a cross-community programme which brings together unionist and nationalist residents of the city to explore the complex inter-communal history of the Bishop Street and Fountain interface, through exploring contested history, shared/oral history, culture, training, education and cultural programming, culminating in the accreditation of 20 local residents as qualified tour guides and the production of a travelling exhibition on the shared history of the Bogside and Fountain areas involving a further one hundred local residents from both communities.

Project manager Mickey Cooper commented: "We are delighted that so many local residents and participants attended the launch and we look forward to creating employment opportunities for our participants whilst also showcasing the unique shared history of the Bishop Street and Fountain areas through the production of the exhibition which will also capture the memories of residents who grew up in both areas.

“The Bishop Street and Fountain areas have suffered immensely during the conflict which has created a negative image of both neighbourhoods. This project will create outputs that challenge this perception and increased interaction between members of both communities."