The Northern Ireland Network is relaunching as a Group! Icon Northern Ireland will be hosting a launch event at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast (PRONI) exploring the importance of conservators in Northern Ireland, with topics such as the recent successful tour and display of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement in 2023.
The event will be hybrid and free to attend, everyone is welcome so please do spread the word. There will be an opportunity to network before and after the event over tea and coffee.
Keynote Presentation: Collection Care behind the Tour and Display of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement to mark the 25th Anniversary in 2023.
Abstract
As a teenager growing up in Northern Ireland, I thought the Troubles would never end. The agreement was heroic.
Gala dinner guest, Hillsborough Castle
The Belfast Good Friday Agreement (BGFA) recently completed an 800-mile tour across Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of its signing. This historic agreement, which ended 30 years of violent conflict known as the Troubles, has played a crucial role in shaping Northern Ireland’s path toward peace and prosperity.
The Northern Ireland Office facilitated the return of the original UK copy of the Agreement for the first time since 1998 in collaboration with the National Archives, Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) and Hillsborough Castle.
The ambitious BGFA 25 Years On programme included a complex series of displays across Northern Ireland including Queens University Belfast, as part of the Agreement25 conference, a civic event at the Game of Thrones experience. The conservation team at PRONI worked closely with conservators and registrars at TNA to design a collaborative, pilot collection care project to create proxy reading room conditions for the public, politicians, peace advocates and community leaders to see the signed pages of the BGFA, whilst keeping the document safe. Where possible the BGFA was displayed outside of the case to increase engagement for visitors, with people of all different ages and backgrounds taking the opportunity to view the document.
The programme culminated with a four month display at Hillsborough Castle, a site significant to the political discussions and diplomacy conducted for the Agreement. David Orr will explore the process and conservation that culminated in the display of the BGFA which drew praise and support from public, politicians and diplomats far and wide.
The Good Friday Agreement remains an important part of Northern Ireland’s history, and its recent tour allowed people to reflect on its impact and legacy. It showed that original objects can have a talismanic property for the public who lived through the events which resulted in the BGFA, changing not just the political landscape but life in Northern Ireland. Join us on the 11th September to hear more about the facilitation of this unique touring programme.
Speakers
Sarah Graham
David Orr ACR
Timetable
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm: Networking with tea, coffee, and buns
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: The Launch
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Networking with tea, coffee, and buns
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: The Launch
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Networking with tea, coffee, and buns
