The Forum for Cities in Transition is an international network of mayors, councillors, municipal officials, business people, and

representatives of the voluntary and community sector

Forum for Cities in Transition

The Forum works on the principle that cities that are in conflict or have emerged from conflict are in the best position to help

other cities in the same situation

Forum delegate during workshop session

The Forum for Cities in Transition is an initiative of the John Joseph Moakley Chair at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The Secretariat is shared by the Northern Ireland

Foundation and the Moakley Chair.

Forum Director, Professor Padraig O’Malley

There are 12 member cities of the Forum:

Beirut

Belfast

Derry-Londonderry

Haifa

Jerusalem

Kaduna

Kirkuk

Mitrovica

Mitte

Mostar

NIcosia

Ramallah

Cities with deep societal divisions find their own particular way of adapting to the exigencies of everyday life with the threat of

imminent, explosive divisions hanging over them. Normalcy overlays what is essentially abnormal.

Religious population in Derry-Londonderry

Cities in transition are in the best position to help other cities in transition. They have common problems – policing, housing, water and sewerage, road construction and maintenance, health and welfare services – as well as having to manage

mechanisms to control and contain flashpoints and interfaces where violence can be too easily triggered

Security in Mitrovica: Police car at Ibar River, with UN KFOR poster

Through the process of sharing their narratives they can learn from each other and create a dynamic that becomes a catalyst

for change. Each city, in turn, will host the others and the experiences of "on the ground" engagements will expose

participants to ways of dealing with similar -- although different -- problems, thus creating an expanding pool of knowledge and

support from which all can draw.

Mitrovica Forum members visit Haifa to exchange knowledge and experiences

At annual gatherings, participants pledge actions that they can deliver within their cities’ capacity and circumstances. These

outcomes include social and economic initiatives.

KIRKUK 2012

The next annual gathering will be in Kirkuk, Iraq, hosted by representatives from its various communities – Shia, Sunni,

Kurd, Turkomen and Christians

Professor O’Malley with Kirkuk members in their city

Contacts:

Allan Leonard (Director, Northern Ireland Foundation): director@nifoundation.net

Nancy Riordan (University of Massachusetts Boston):

leenancy7@gmail.com