Friends Forever Dinner

Join us for a dinner with youths from Northern Ireland that are part of the Friends Forever program:

Friends Forever International currently works with youth leaders from neighborhoods in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the bulk of our Europe/UK Program.  Since 1986, we have worked with over 1,200 students from across Northern Ireland.  As the sectarianism in Northern Ireland shifts to urban areas, specifically in the city of Belfast, FFI has shifted our focus as well. We now actively recruit organizations that serve the hardest hit regions of conflict and where we can have the most significant impact in the short and long term. In 2016, in recognition of shifting conflicts, we welcomed our first Northern Ireland group made up of 5 youth from recently immigrated families and 5 domestic youth.

Our programs in Northern Ireland allow students to receive credit for their schools for participating in the year-long program while affording teens a unique opportunity to experience the United States by interacting closely with a host community.

Each year in the summer and fall, we have groups travel to the United States for the two-week Skill Building Phase of the program. Each delegation is comprised of five Protestant and five Catholic youth, two adult leaders from Northern Ireland, and one U.S-based Site Manager.

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The participants return home for their Community Building Phase and hold a minimum of eight meetings, which are monitored for impact throughout the year. FFI alumni play a key role in making the recurring group sessions a success.  

US Host Communities for Northern Ireland include New England.