The Centre for Democracy and Peace has marked its fifth anniversary by celebrating the graduation of its current cohort of Fellows at Hillsborough Castle, highlighting a growing community of leaders committed to shaping a positive future for Northern Ireland.
This year’s ceremony was attended by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon. Hilary Benn MP, underscoring the significance of the Fellowship and its role in strengthening cross-sectoral leadership in NI.
The Fellowship seeks to equip leaders not only with skills, but with the mindset and networks required to navigate complexity, build trust, and drive meaningful, long-term change.
Since its launch in 2021, the Fellowship has supported 125 leaders from across politics, business and civic society. Looking ahead, the Centre has set an ambitious goal: to build a network of 1,000 Fellows over the coming years, creating a connected community equipped to address both local and global challenges.
At a time of profound uncertainty in Northern Ireland and across the world, the need for leadership grounded in values, collaboration and systems thinking has never been greater.
Speaking at the ceremony, Darragh McCarthy, Chair of the Centre for Democracy and Peace, said:
Today is a celebration of possibility. Over the past five years, we have seen what happens when talent is given the opportunity to grow, connect and lead. At a time of uncertainty, what matters most is not just policy or institutions, but people – leaders who are willing to collaborate, to listen, and to act with courage and imagination. Our Fellows represent the very best of Northern Ireland. They come from different sectors, perspectives and communities, but share a commitment to building something better, together.
Commencement addresses were delivered by DUP MLA Gareth Wilson and Sinn Féin Councillor Kathleen McGurk, reflecting the Fellowship’s strong commitment to cross-party leadership and collaboration.
Both speakers highlighted the importance of investing in people and fostering leadership grounded in service, responsibility and shared purpose, demonstrating that even in challenging times, progress is possible through understanding and collective effort.
This spirit of collaboration and practical leadership is reflected in the work of the Fellows themselves.
As part of the programme, participants developed a range of initiatives addressing key societal challenges, including an AI-enabled safeguarding project supporting young people online, a prevention-focused brain health strategy aimed at improving wellbeing and long-term resilience, the BUILD project to bridge the gap between citizens and decision-makers, and ALIGN, a strategic governance tool designed to integrate reporting across government departments.
The Fellowship programme is supported by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the NIO Connect Fund, the Irish American Partnership, and leading employers including Allstate NI, Camlin Group, FinTrU, Fujitsu NI, NIE Networks and Ulster Carpets.
Recruitment for the next Fellowship programme will launch in May.
Photo Caption: (L-R) Dalreen Buchanan, Ulster Carpets, Darragh McCarthy, FinTrU, Helen Sullivan, NIE, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon. Hilary Benn MP, Eva Grosman, Centre for Democracy and Peace, Peter Cunningham, Camlin Group, Melanie McMordie, Fujitsu.
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