Rt Hon Lord Paddy Ashdown - Chariman
The Rt Hon Lord Paddy Ashdown was born in New Delhi in 1941, and moved to Northern Ireland, the home of his mother's family, at the age of four. He was brought up in Donaghadee and in Comber and attended school in Bangor before later going to Bedford school in England.
Between 1959 and 1972 he served as an officer in the Royal Marines in the Far East and in Northern Ireland before joining the Foreign Office in 1972. In 1983, he won the seat of Yeovil for the then Liberal Party, beginning a long political career which saw him elected leader of the Liberal Democrats in 1988, serving in that role until 1999. He stood down from the Commons in 2001, and was elevated to the peerage in the same year. He was made a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2000 and a peer in 2001.
Lord Ashdown was the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina from the 27th May 2002 until the 31st January 2006.
He became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in the 2006 New Year Honours List in recognition of his work in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sammy Douglas MBE
Sammy Douglas is a self-employed Community Economic Development Advisor with over 25 years experience in community and economic development. He has been involved in cross-community and conflict resolution in a number of areas in Belfast, in particular East Belfast. He is a founding member of East Belfast Interface Group working to address conflict and reconciliation.
Mervyn Gibson
Mervyn Gibson is Minister of Westbourne Presbyterian Community Church. He is a former RUC officer and ex Chair of the Loyalist Commission. He has been a lifelong member of the Orange Institution and is currently a Deputy Grand Chaplain of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
Sean Murray
Sean Murray is Chairperson of the Springfield Residents Action Group and Chairperson of the Clonard Residents Association. A community activist, he is also currently a Board member of Interaction Belfast and is a founder member of Belfast Reconciliation Group. He is also a member of Greater Falls Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and a founder member of Greater Falls Safer Neighbourhood project.
Geraldine McAteer
Geraldine McAteer has 25 years experience in community & economic development and urban regeneration. She is Chief Executive of West Belfast Partnership Board, which is focussed on the social, economic and physical regeneration of the West Belfast area. As a member of Laganside Corporation, Geraldine played a strategic role in the regeneration of the Laganside area in Belfast and has also Chaired the former North & West Belfast Health & Social Services Trust.
Garvan O'Doherty
Born in Derry, Garvan O'Doherty has an accountancy background and is heavily involved in the hospitality and property sectors. He was one of the architects of the process which led to direct discussion between the Bogside Residents Group and the Apprentice Boys of Derry regarding Apprentice Boys marches within the city. He was also the leader of negotiations between the Black Preceptory, BRG, Orange Order and community groups which resulted in these marches passing off peacefully.
Mervyn Rankin
Recently retired Chief Executive of Ballymena Borough Council Mervyn has an environmental health background and served as Town Clerk and Chief Executive for 15 years. During that time he handled a number of difficult issues with sensitivity and was pro-active behind the scenes in seeking to resolve the protest at Harryville Church.
Duncan Morrow - Special advisor in relation to community relations perspectives
Duncan Morrow is the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council. From 1991 to 2002 he was a lecturer in Politics at the University of Ulster and a member of the Future Ways Program, he is co-author of A Worthwhile Venture?- Practically Investing in Equality, Diversity and Interdependence in Northern Ireland (1997) which has provided a framework for community relations work.
