Shaping our Future Panel Discussion Speech
Alliance Conference 2020
As we prepare to celebrate
the fifteenth Anniversary of the Alliance Party’s foundation it’s truly
uplifting to see the party full of passionate people of all ages eager to shape
a new future for everyone across Northern Ireland.
A new future
breaking away from the old divisions and intolerances of the past.
A new future where the
blackboard so well presented in Derry Girls is considered a novel reflection of
an old forgotten past. For the record, I keep my toaster in the cupboard and
hate soup. I never really thought whether you wore a gilet or liked soup was an
indication of your religion but in the new Northern Ireland where more and more
people are neither Catholic or Protestant the old ways of pigeon holing people
just ain’t relevant.
Now that the Assembly is
back it’s vital we continue the surge towards shaping the new future people
demanded and voted for not just once, or twice but three times last year.
No longer can the Assembly
be seen as a by word for inaction, intolerance and veto with minority rights
denied, difficult decisions deferred and a future focused on the past rather
than the hopes and dreams felt today.
The Alliance Party is
there to shape a new future for everyone reflecting the change that is already
a happening. Fact that this year will feature an historic occasion with Pride
Festivals not just occurring in Belfast and Derry~Londonderry but also Newry,
Larne, Cookstown, and Fermanagh is just one example of the change occurring in
communities shaped by local people and deserving of support. Raising Pride
flags or lighting up a building in Rainbow colours to mark such occasions
really shouldn’t be such a drag.
That’s why Alliance
representatives such as Rachael Ferguson, Sorcha Eastwood, Danny Donnelly and
Eóin Tennyson are so important, championing a shared present and pushing for a
future resisted by some in other parties but yearned for by the people.
The Militant Moderates,
the change makers, the peace builders, the ones delivering today and shaping
our future for tomorrow.