The Ulster Project - Hutchinson Operating Policy
The name of the organization shall be:
The Ulster Project of Hutchinson, Kansas
The mission of the Ulster Project of Hutchinson, Kansas, shall be:
The Ulster Project is dedicated to promoting a peaceful parity of esteem between Roman Catholics and Protestant in Northern Ireland by building tolerance, trust and ongoing positive relationships among potential leaders from these Christian traditions.
Many people in the United State share a strong Protestant or Catholic heritage. Our mission is to do something actively to help heal the wounds in Northern Ireland. The people there are both weary and isolated. There now seems to be a glimmer of hope, although the ceasefires are fragile. We offer one idea, which with time, determination, faith and God's providence, will work.
There are few times when an individual, a family, or a parish, can be a true agent for peace in a seemingly endless international conflict. In this instance, however, churches and people of this area, acting with good will, can make a difference in helping to convert the limited suspension of warfare to a real peace.
The purpose of the project shall be:
• To promote reconciliation between Northern Irish Catholics and Protestants by fostering tolerance, understanding and friendship among teenage future leaders;
• To present a program that brings Northern Irish teens of differing Christian faiths together in a strife-free atmosphere that emphasizes acceptance of all people, regardless of creed;
• To educate and encourage persons, particularly supporters, committee members and American Host Families, to appreciate their roles as peacemakers and mediators and to understand the purposes of Ulster Project;
• To encourage Northern Irish leaders and clergy involved in the program to
continue to foster the spirit of Ulster Project among the Northern Irish participants following each program;
• To promote a spirit of community and commitment among American
Ulster
Project participants.
The strategy of the project shall be:
To organize and fund a project to bring
teenagers, half Roman Catholic, half
Protestant; half girls, half boys, from
Portadown, Northern Ireland, to Hutchinson to
stay
with host families of the same religion with children of
the same gender, during the
month of July, each year.