From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, has launched the fourth episode in the Mná 100 podcast series, titled ‘Seeking Peace’, as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023.
Minister Martin said:
"The ‘Seeking Peace’ episode in the Mná100 centenary podcast series, gives us a really important understanding of the peace delegations led by women in 1922 trying to prevent Civil War. Many of these women were part of the international peace movement at that time. The podcast gives us a unique insight into those challenging months. Mary Robinson, Maria Butler and Áine Hearns are all Irish women who have worked internationally, whose interesting life stories will resonate with the historic women of a century ago."
This podcast examines events of 100 years ago and women’s participation in seeking peace - from chairing the Peace Committee meetings in May to delegations organised in June and July 1922 as hostilities in the Civil War escalated. It explores the historic background to those delegations, profiling some of the participants. Maud Gonne MacBride organised delegations. Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, Charlotte Despard and Rosamond Jacob of the Irishwomen’s International League participated. It also explores the League’s links to the wider peace movement of that time, such as the role of Jane Addams and the organisation of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
By looking at these historic events through a wider lens, Mná 100 also reflects on some of the achievements and personal experiences of the podcast participants. The podcast features three women; the first female President of Ireland and Chair of The Elders, Mary Robinson; Áine Hearns, Director of the Conflict Resolution Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs; and Maria Butler, Deputy Secretary General of the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom, who in May 2022 has just been appointed as Executive Director of the Nobel Women’s Initiative.
The podcast is available at https://www.mna100.ie/ and wherever you listen to your podcasts.
The 3 speakers featured on the podcast are:
Mary Robinson, Adjunct Professor for Climate Justice in Trinity College Dublin and Chair of The Elders. She served as President of Ireland from 1990-1997 and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002.
Áíne Hearns, Director of the Conflict Resolution Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs and former Irish Ambassador to Malawi and Head of Mission in Uganda.
Maria Butler, appointed Executive Director of the Nobel Women’s Initiative in May 2022. Her previous roles include Deputy Secretary General of the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom; Director of the Global Programmes for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom based in Switzerland and before this served as International Director at their Peace Women Programme, at UN, New York (2010-2016). A qualified Attorney-at-Law and a member of the New York State Bar. She was founder of Growth Reaching Africa (GRA) 2006-2016.
Mná100 is an online women’s initiative, for the final phase of the Decade of Centenaries Programme and continues the work in highlighting the role of women in the revolutionary period. Visit www.mna100.ie to learn more.
This is the fourth podcast in the series. Previous podcasts can be accessed on www.mna100.ie or wherever you get your podcasts.