The ministers of the recently re-formed power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland visited the United States for St. Patrick’s Day to meet with President Joe Biden and strengthen their relationships with partners in the country. 

“We have a strong relationship with the United States and this week, our focus will be on showcasing Northern Ireland as a compelling investment opportunity and highlighting the many benefits of doing business here,” said O’Neill in a prepared statement.

From Resolution to Rejuvenation

Joel Hellman, dean of the School of Foreign Service, introduced the event, noting Georgetown’s reputation as a center for the study of post-conflict resolution.

“Through difficult times, Northern Ireland has prevailed, thrived and continued to offer the world a road map on how to negotiate a lasting peace,” Hellman said. “We know here at Georgetown — thanks especially to the work of our Institute for Women, Peace and Security — that there is no lasting peace without women at the table. Today, we are excited to hear from two women who are not only at the table but at the head of it about their hopes and plans for building a better Northern Ireland.”

The conversation was moderated by , an associate professor of government at American University. The talk, before a packed audience of visiting dignitaries, esteemed faculty, and engaged students, began with a reflection on the legacy of the past and ventured into visions of the future.   

Both O’Neill and Little-Pengelly grew up as children in a zone of conflict, and their adult lives have been defined by the fragile peace ushered in by the Good Friday Agreement. 

“We have been a society that, despite an eagerness to move on, is dragged down by the unfinished threads of the past, the legacy of issues not yet resolved,” said Little-Pengelly. “We are at this moment of incredible opportunity where people have this huge eagerness to look to the future now despite the, in Maya Angelou’s words, ‘wrenching pain’ of the past that ‘cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage need not be lived again.’” 

O’Neill, the first nationalist First Minister in Northern Ireland’s history, reflected on coming from a different political party and a different personal background than Little-Pengelly. Despite their differences, she affirmed, they are united in the hope of achieving tangible changes for the people of Northern Ireland. 

“Emma and I are the epitome of the Good Friday Agreement ourselves because we come from two very different backgrounds, two very different lived experiences,” said O’Neill. “If we’re going to be successful into the future and ensure that today’s generation is not burdened by yesterday’s, then we need to properly deal with the past and find ways to heal wounds.” 

O’Neill and Little-Pengelly visited the Hilltop last year for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, participating in an event with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Reflecting on their personal lives and the history of Northern Ireland, they situated the recently-formed government in a pivotal location – a quarter of a century away from conflict and determined to build another quarter of a century of peace and prosperity. 

“I hope that Michelle and I can bridge that transition, between some of the remaining threads of the past that sometimes wind themselves around and bring down our institutions and move to 25 years of building success and prosperity,” said Little-Pengelly. 

In addition to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, both Junior Ministers in the Executive, Aislin Reilly and Pam Cameron, are also female. The conversation turned to the role of women in leadership positions. 

“Women being in leadership roles is undoubtedly important for the framework that it provides for people to see what that can be, but more than that we want to deliver,” said Little-Pengelly. “No matter what the symbolism of women in leadership roles, we want to deliver.”

The event was organized by three on-campus programs, , the and the , in collaboration with off-campus partners, the Washington Ireland Program, the John & Pat Hume Foundation, the Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland Bureau and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland.

The event marked the second annual meeting of the Washington Forum on Northern Ireland, a joint project of Georgetown University, American University and Ulster University. Watch the full conversation . 

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Both Dorshimer and Mbengue graduated with this certificate to complement their this past December. 

“We’re so proud of our inaugural cohort of students, including Radia and Emma,” says Melanne Verveer, executive director of GIWPS. “Their robust understanding of gender, peace and security—indicated by their achieving our certificate—makes them better qualified for future positions and ultimately more effective professionals in those roles.”

A New Perspective

Dorshimer says some people see women’s issues as a niche subject, but it’s actually a way in which to view the world.

“Being able to look at conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction through the lens of gender – recognizing that women and other marginalized groups have different experiences – allows you to do your job better and allows you to resolve conflict better and create better programming.”

Dorshimer, who has a Bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and is interested in youth leadership and programming, completed a field fellowship with the gender-based violence and emergencies team at UNICEF during her time at Georgetown.

She says this graduate certificate is special because it’s organized by GIWPS.

“We have a group of professors and scholars at our fingertips that are so knowledgeable and have so much experience.”

Career Advancement

Mbengue, who has a background in research and is trying to shift to program management, appreciated the certificate program’s emphasis on practical skills such as gender-sensitive budgeting, audits and mainstreaming. 

“I took the Gender & Security Toolbox course as I was doing a monitoring and evaluation internship with Vital Voices,” said Mbengue. “During the course we had a lot of material on monitoring and evaluation, so it helped me a lot.”

Originally from Senegal, Mbengue says she also welcomed the professors’ discussions of feminist, non-exploitative research methods, and the interesting guest speakers in the foundational course.

“I recall one interaction with an activist guest speaker who was based in Nigeria and her telling us about her experience and women’s experience with Boko Haram in general.”

Around 20 other graduate students from programs across Georgetown University are currently pursuing the graduate certificate in Gender, Peace and Security, several of whom will graduate this May.

Current or prospective Georgetown students who are interested in the graduate certificate or GIWPS courses can find .