2005 End to the Irish Armed Campaign
"Are we not all cosmopolitan? What we are born into is an accident of birth, respect for difference, growth and learning is who we are"
👏 Happy Friday!
On this day, July 28th, 2005, the IRA declared an end to armed struggle, stating it would pursue its objectives exclusively by peaceful means. The statement was a significant milestone in the Northern Ireland peace process and ended over three decades of conflict known as “The Troubles”. It is estimated that over 3,500 people were killed in the conflict, which included civilians, British and Irish security forces, and members of paramilitary groups. The 2005 “Statement on the Ending of the Armed Campaign” marked a crucial step towards ending the violence and moving towards a more peaceful resolution. The decision to abandon armed struggle came after many years of negotiations and efforts by various parties to bring about a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
✅ Prior to the IRA announcement, many people were involved, for many years, in the peace negotiation process. This list included political and paramilitary leaders, prisoners, Northern Ireland Secretaries, Prime Ministers, Taoiseachs, a US Senator, and US Presidents. However, one man was instrumental in preparing the ground for the 2005 cessation, including the 1994 ceasefire and the 1998 Belfast Agreement, John Hume. Hume was a prominent Northern Irish politician and a vocal advocate for non-violence. He told us, “Difference is of the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth, and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect it. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace: respect for diversity.” His approach to change focused on dialogue, inclusivity, and reaching out to all parties involved in the conflict. He believed that a lasting resolution could only be achieved through political negotiations and diplomacy, rather than through violence and armed struggle. While implementing organisational change, we could be more successful with increased dialogue, inclusivity, and engaging resistant stakeholders. Cosmopolitans Respect Difference During Change.
"Are we not all cosmopolitan? What we are born into is an accident of birth, respect for difference, growth and learning is who we are"
👉 Time has run out for organisational leaders who focus on normal day-to-day operations, handing off change management and implementation responsibilities to available employees or consultants. Leading practice organisational change leadership skills and knowledge are significant differentiators for organisations, enabling them to stay ahead of the competition and thrive, not merely survive. Organisational change capability is not a tick-box function or department. Additionally, organisational change cannot be delivered in isolated sticky note workshops. It is imperative that organisations understand that change capability needs to go beyond touchy-feely skills, it involves strategy execution by delivering complex, innovative programmes and projects. It means understanding that leaders of change work in a toxic working environment with narcissistic, powerful leaders who are aggressively averse to change because they have much to lose.
Have a fantastic weekend with the ones you love and care for, enjoy some fresh air, exercise, eat, drink and be happy.
Further Reading: Change Management Leadership - Leadership of Change Volume 4
Peter consults, speaks, and writes on the Leadership of Change®.
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Peter F Gallagher is a Change Management Global Thought Leader, Guru, Expert, International Speaker, Author and Leadership Alignment Coach.
Listed #1 by leadersHum Top 40 Change Management Gurus You Should Follow in 2022 (Mar 2022).
Ranked #1 Change Management Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Change Management (2023-2022-2021-2020) by Thinkers360.
Ranked #1 Business Strategy Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Business Strategy (2022) by Thinkers360.
Ranked #2 Leadership Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Leadership (Aug 2020) by Thinkers360.
Business Book Ranking
Change Management Behaviour - Leadership of Change® Volume 6, listed among the 50 Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders to read in 2022.
Change Management Adoption - Leadership of Change® Volume 5, listed among year-to-date’s (Jul 2021) most popular books on business and technology from Thinkers360 member thought leaders.
Change Management Handbook - Leadership of Change® Volume 3, listed among the 50 Business and Technology Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders to read in 2021.
Change Management Pocket Guide - Leadership of Change® Volume 2, ranked within the top 50 Business and Technology Books (Jan 2020) from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders.