“The Partnership is privileged to announce this gift to the Integrated Education Fund. We believe wholeheartedly in the mission of the IEF – to have children from different traditions to learn and play together, building a society where respect for religious and cultural difference is fundamental. We are also grateful to our partners in Ireland Gateway to Europe, and the Boston College Ireland Business Council for creating a wonderful dinner in celebration of this mission.”
– Mary Sugrue, CEO, Irish American Partnership
Our Work
Integrated Education
In the more than 20 years since the Good Friday Agreement, almost 25,000 children are now educated in 65 integrated schools in Northern Ireland, with 500 new places being created every year. However, this represents less than 8% of school-aged children.
We are proud to support the Integrated Education Fund. The Integrated Education Fund is an independent charity that targets financial support for the development and growth of integrated education. Their aim is to enable children to learn together in an environment that celebrates religious and cultural diversity, making integration, not separation, the norm in the Northern Ireland education system. On the basis of parental demand they continue to support the establishment of more integrated school places, the transformation of existing non-integrated schools to integrated status and cross-community school initiatives that provide meaningful interaction between pupils, parents, staff and the wider community.
The IEF believes integrated schools enables cross-community bonding. Students gain self-confidence and interpersonal skills. Mutual understanding blossoms through daily interaction. Last year, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, The Irish American Partnership donated $25,000 to the IEF to “facilitate and encourage integrated education.”
“Integrated schools bring together children, staff and governors from all religious and cultural traditions within a single school community where they celebrate diversity and inclusivity, contributing to a united community and shared future.”
– Paul Caskey OBE, Head of Campaign, for the Integrated Education Fund
In 2020 they were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, showing an international appreciation of the work of parents, campaigners, and schools to develop integrated education in Northern Ireland in order to ensure that children of all backgrounds can learn and grow together.
The Fund recognizes the daily work within integrated schools to bring together students from different backgrounds and celebrate the rich cultural diversity that defines modern Northern Ireland.
The real heroes of this movement are the parents, the pupils, and the schools, together with you, the friends and donors of the Integrated Education Fund.”
– Baroness May Blood, Campaign Chair, Integrated Education Fund
The Integrated Education Fund promotes integrated education in several key ways. They assist with establishing new integrated schools that bring together students of different backgrounds, and they help existing integrated schools expand and grow their diverse student bodies. In addition, they support schools currently transitioning to integrated status through the transformation process. Their goals to increase access to inclusive educational environments that unify students across divides align with the values of the Partnership.