Unionist Engagement – A Key Strategic Challenge!

Damien White
Ógra Shinn Féin

At the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis ’06, Gerry Adams outlined 5 great strategic challenges facing republicans at that time; one of those key strategic challenges was unionist engagement.

Throughout 2006- 07 Unionist Engagement at a local level was developed leading to the launch of Sinn Féin’s unionist engagement document in Stormont’s long gallery.


In promoting this and promoting dialogue, a welcomed addition to Campa Náisiúnta Óige ‘08 was the Young Unionists.

For the first time the UUP youth wing addressed the youth camp on the topic of, "What the 1916 proclamation means to you?” They joined Ógra Shinn Féin, SDLP Youth and Labour Youth.

Alexander Redpath represented the Unionist youth wing.

While other Unionist parties were invited to participate including the DUP and PUP, they failed to send anyone. While this is regrettable, we were glad unionism was not left unrepresented and we thank the unionist party for being the voice of unionism, showing leadership in articulating the opinions of unionism.

These type of engagements and dialogue help us as republican’s to understand the intimate thoughts of young unionists and, provides us as young people an opportunity to come together, mislay fears and mistruths and find common ground. This can only be a positive contribution to our future.

Republican’s have initiated engagement between our two communities, and between our people, as a way of deepening understanding and building and fostering respect for other views and traditions.

I hope for the day when young republican’s could likewise address a unionist debate in the same manner as they addressed ours, because it will be through debates like this that we can address our misconceptions about each other and will help to bring a greater understanding about how we should move forward from this point on.