On Wednesday February 20th the CGO welcomed Brian Dougherty to our weekly class. Brian is the Director of St. Columb’s Park House in Derry / Londonderry Northern Ireland . St. Columb’s Park House seeks to contribute to peace-building and social inclusion in Northern Ireland through a range of programs that promote civic participation, human rights, and democratic pluralism. Brian was visiting the United States on a Winston Churchill Traveling fellowship to learn about community organizations in the United States.
Brian discussed his work with young people in Northern Ireland, including young members of political parties. As a result of this work Brian received a Master of the British Empire award from Queen Elizabeth II of England, who he met in person. He shared with us some stories about his day at Buckingham Palace and his time with the Queen.