Ireland’s tradition of peace and conflict resolution honoured through Irish humanitarian
Posted: 23 November, 2018
The recipient of the 2018 Andrew Grene Postgraduate Scholarship in Conflict Resolution was celebrated this morning at an award ceremony in the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The prestigious scholarship, funded by the Conflict Resolution Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was named in honour of Irish United Nations staff member, Andrew Grene, following his death in the Haiti earthquake of 2010.
The Andrew Grene Postgraduate Scholarship in Conflict Resolution, administered by the Irish Research Council and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has enabled postgraduate students to research critical areas of conflict resolution, post-conflict reconciliation, mediation as well as the topic of women, peace and security. The Conflict Resolution Unit within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has supported 13 postgraduate researchers since 2008. This marks the tenth anniversary of the Irish Research Council’s partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on this prestigious scholarship.
The 2018 Andrew Grene Scholar in Conflict Resolution is Cian Kearns, who is based at the University of Limerick. The aim of his research is to use risk assessment models to predict the likelihood of genocide occurring, allowing for early intervention to take place.
Commenting on the award, Peter Brown, Director of the Irish Research Council said, “The Council is honoured to have the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a long-standing partner on our Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme. Since this partnership began, it has supported the development of committed postgraduate researchers studying a range of key themes around conflict resolution. Ireland has a unique history of building sustainable peace and reconciliation processes. This research opportunity provides an ideal background for early-career researchers to build upon lessons learned and contribute to the shared international dialogue on peace-building and reconciliation. In a rapidly changing global political platform, developing these skills and facilitating intercultural dialogue are critical.”
