Colin and Wendy Parry in peace trip to UAE (From Warrington Guardian)
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Colin and Wendy Parry in peace trip to UAE
3:00pm Friday 15th February 2013 in News
Colin and Wendy Parry
A COUPLE who have spent nearly 20 years campaigning for peace have been speaking at an event in United Arab Emirates after receiving global attention for a project helping victims of terrorism.
Colin and Wendy Parry, from Great Sankey, lost their son Tim in the 1993 IRA bombing on Bridge Street and founded the Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace in memory of the two boys.
The couple were invited as guests of the United States Government (State Department – Centre for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications) to address a meeting of 30 member countries in Abu Dhabi discussing whether their programme for victims can be incorporated into the United Nations global counterterrorism strategy.
Colin Parry said: “This is the 20th anniversary year following an event that changed mine and Wendy’s lives forever.
“We set out to keep our son’s name alive and created the Peace Centre, an impressive building, as a fitting legacy to Tim and Johnathan. “The work that goes on inside the Peace Centre and also on an increasingly national and international basis is equally impressive.”
In 2002, the Foundation for Peace launched the ‘Legacy Project’ programme which supported victims and those affected by the troubles.
The unique programme has developed considerably since then and is now called ‘Survivors for Peace’ offering support to victims and those affected by any form of terrorism or violent conflict.
Colin added: “Survivors for Peace is unique because it enables victims to participate in carefully researched programmes where they can share their experiences with others and bring about positive change in their lives.
“The fact that our work is now being viewed from Capitol Hill in Washington DC and diplomats and government officials have invited Wendy and me to present our work is a great honour and we hope that the work we started in Warrington will be adopted by the wider international community.”
