The Bangor Peace Movement emerged from “a refusal to accept that ordinary people are powerless in the face of injustice”.
Deeply affected by the traumatic scenes of suffering coming out of Gaza, on social and independent media,we wanted to build a local movement focused on basic humanitarian rights for all people, grounded in peace, solidarity, and practical action, that was inclusive to all communities.
By consciously adopting a no flag, Anti-sectarian approach, we created a space where people from every background could publicly oppose violence against civilians, and support humanitarian justice, without feeling constrained within Northern Ireland’s familiar political divides.
To a large extent, we have been successful, and our model has also influenced similar movements in Holywood and Belfast.
Our weekly peace vigils, fundraising efforts, and community campaigning are small acts set against a vast crisis, but they are rooted in a belief trade unionists know well: that collective action, public witness, and human solidarity matter”.
