Events across Belfast celebrate 50 years of Corrymeela

Northern Ireland's oldest reconciliation centre Corrymeela is celebrating its 50th anniversary today with a series of events this weekend.

Former Irish President Mary Robinson, director at the US Institute of Peace Kathleen Kuehnast, and poet Michael Longley will be speaking at a gala in Belfast City Hall on Friday.

The organisation was founded by Ray Davey and students from Queen's University in 1965 to promote dialogue between Catholics and Protestants.

Robinson will be speaking about her work in climate justice at the event.

A service at St Anne's Cathedral on Sunday will also commemorate the establishment of Corrymeela.

The service will include the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Roman Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin and a number of other Christian leaders.

The organisation works with a range of community groups throughout Northern Ireland in an attempt to foster social cohesion.

Volunteer Beni Stuckelberger said that he can see tangible results in the centre's work.

"You can measure it by just looking at groups when they come at the beginning of the week how they interact with each other at the beginning and how they interact at the end," he said.

"At the start of a week with them I might see them in their own little groups and not interact with other groups and at the end they're all just interacting all together, having fun - that shows me we did something right."

The centre has broadened to embrace new members of Northern Ireland, he said.

"It builds bridges between different communities. Between Catholic and Protestant, and also new members of Northern Ireland society like immigrants and people who've lived here for generations, and between LGBT communities and straight people."

Prince Charles visited the centre in May this year to commemorate the centre's 50th anniversary.

He said: "It is time that we become the subjects of our history and not its prisoners.

We have all suffered too much. Too many people's loved ones have been killed or maimed."

"Surely it is time that we become the subjects of our history and not its prisoners. Surely too, through the roots of Corrymeela, we can discover lessons that can serve as a model to all who strive for peace."