Addressing a meeting in Queens University Students on Civil Rights in the 21st Century SDLP Leader Mark Durkan MP MLA stated:

“Forty years ago a generation of young men and women were inspired by the example set by Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi. That violence is not only morally bankrupt, but that it ultimately destroys that which it claims to defend. And that peaceful challenge and non-violent resistance are much more powerful tools for achieving change. And they did achieve change. Because of the terrible events that followed for the next thirty years, many people have lost sight of their achievements. By 1970, all the original demands of the Civil Rights movement had been granted or conceded in principle: voting reform, a points system for housing, unarmed police.

But civil and human rights are not static, even if the human values that underlie them are unchanging. Society changes, new challenges arise and new rights need to be laid down in law.

From the SDLP ‘s roots in the campaign for civil rights to our proud role in the achievement of the Good Friday Agreement or in delivering the new beginning in policing, making this country the best it can be – economically, socially, politically, culturally and environmentally – has always been the our mission.

As the party that brought a divided people to the dawn of a new, agreed Ireland in the last century; our work for the twenty first century is to lead a reconciled people into a truly united, just and prosperous new Ireland.

We will use the current debate on the realignment of politics on the island in an innovative and imaginative way. We will use it to maximise the potential for positive, constructive outreach. Engaging imaginatively with parties, partners and people in the South. Liaising positively with the unionist community and others in the North. Talking ambitiously with all the stakeholders and policy communities in this new Ireland we want to build. Focussing on the future direction of this country, as well the SDLP’s place in it.

We are determined to ensure that the SDLP, all that we stand for and everything that we believe in will be at the heart of the new Ireland in the future. We also know we need to be the heartbeat for progressive, visionary and creative politics right now.

Imagining the prospects for the new Ireland of the future also involves embracing the opportunities of the present, the opportunities that the Agreement provides for us all, North and South, Unionist and Nationalist.

So when we talk of the legacy of Civil Rights we must be aware that the struggle for Civil Rights continues to this day. We now have the power to tackle inequality in our society in our own hands.

We need to stand together for the right to fair play from a system that has delivered too little and needs to give us much more.

We have to stand strong for the rights of young people to be able to go out at night free from the fear of being attacked. And for all older people to sleep sound in their beds at night.

We need to stand determined to uphold the rights of women to earn equal pay with men.

We must stand up for the rights of our children not to be labeled as failures or left behind. As well as for the fundamental rights of children in developing countries to have access to clean water, basic medical services and the better future they continue to be denied.

We have to stand resolute by people with disabilities, whose rights should be equal with all others.

Stand firm by the rights of the people of Ireland, who voted so strongly for the Good Friday Agreement, and now want its institutions to be used to improve the lives of all its people.

Stand strong for the rights of all people to live free from sectarian intimidation, racist abuse or homophobic assault.

Stand up for what we know to be right. For the more inclusive society, the more prosperous economy and the better country we should all want for ourselves and for each other.”

Dear Friend,

SDLP Leader and Foyle MP Mark Durkan will be speaking at an event in Club Room 3, Queens Student Union on Thursday 24th April at 6.00pm organised by SDLP Youth. This event is open to everyone. We are looking for as many members/supporters as possible to attend this event. Also if you are available a little bit earlier we are looking for members to attend the visit to QUBSU with Mark (members please contact us). Mark will be doing an interview with the Gown Newspaper and Queens Radio as well as going for a drink in the Bunatee.

SDLP @ Queens

SDLP Youth members are invited to…

THE RE-ALIGNMENT OF POLITICS IN IRELAND

Thursday 24 April 2008

The SDLP’s Newry Branch invites you to a debate on ‘The Re-Alignment of Politics in Ireland’.

In the Mourne Country Hotel, Belfast Rd. Newry

At 7.30 sharp

On Thursday 24th April 2008

For further details contact Peter McEvoy: mcevoysdlp AT gmail DOT com

SDLP YOUTH CONFERENCE
5 JULY 10AM – 4PM
WELLINGTON PARK HOTEL BELFAST

SDLP Youth are holding their annual conference on the 5 July 2008 from 10am to 4pm in the Wellington Park hotel in Belfast.

All members under 30 are asked to make an effort to attend. The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year.

Party members, young people who have expressed an interest in joining the Party, members from parties in the North and South and our European colleagues from ECOSY and IUSY have been invited.

All party members under 30 can submit motions. They must be submitted before 20 June to either 90 247700 (Gavin Boyd) or email gavin.boyd AT sdlphq DOT ie

All Party members under 30 can debate and vote on motions.

All those who have expressed an interest in joining the party can debate but not vote on motions.

All invited guests can nominate one speaker to speak on motions but cannot vote.

There is a closed session with the SDLP All-Ireland working group for all SDLP members under 30 from 4pm to 6pm.

Please confirm your attendance as soon as possible with Gavin Boyd on 90 247700 or email gavin.boyd AT sdlphq DOT ie

SDLP Lecale Branch Secretary Barry Magee has called for a renewed social agenda across Europe.

On returning from a European socialist youth conference in Brussels Mr Magee has urged for the greater support of workers within the EU and an end to exploitative working practices.

During the 3rd European Community of Socialist Youth (ECOSY) Winter Conference young socialists from all over Europe gathered in the EU Parliament in Brussels to demand the re-launch of Europe’s social dimension.

Key priorities of the conference included tackling European and global inequality and the issue of global climate change.

Across Europe we socialists and social democrats want to ensure a better working environment for all workers in the EU, particularly marginalised workers. Economic development and prosperity has left many people behind and ECOSY, the youth section of the Party of European Socialists (PES), demands that the EU works towards a more equal and sustainable European model of development,

The EU Spring Council is about to adopt the Integrated Policy Guidelines for the final policy cycle of the EU Lisbon Strategy and at the same time the PES, of which the SDLP is a member, is debating a manifesto for the 2009 European elections.

Therefore we, as ECOSY Young European Socialists developed twelve demands for the EU Spring Council and the PES manifesto.

ECOSY demands to the EU included: Employment flexicurity not without social security; fight unemployment and under employed (particularly in young people); for full employment; increased job security; promotion of a knowledge-based economy; proper sustainable development and environmental protection; free access to education and life-long learning; more investment in research and development; better access to public services; improved youth exchanges; and better provision of information on EU policies for European citizens.

It was a great honour to represent the SDLP and the North of Ireland at ECOSY and I am extremely happy with the SDLP contribution to the conference. We ensured that two of our demands made the final ECOSY document.

We in the SDLP want to see minimum standards of working conditions to be introduced in EU member states. This is to include legal guarantee for social rights and protection, full rights for interim agency workers and treatment of internships as real jobs.

SDLP wants to see the promotion of the ‘Decent Work, Decent Life’ agenda at EU level. The Lisbon strategy has an important external dimension and its social goals have to stand at the heart of Europe’s external policy. Official development aid needs be increased by 1% of GDP in order to achieve UN Millennium Development Goals and help alleviate global poverty levels.

SDLP and ECOSY want an end to exploitation and the creation of a more equal and sustainable Europe. This can only be done through the relaunching of the Social Europe Agenda.

European inequality can only be tackled through social protection and an end to the neo-conservative political agenda across Europe that has only benefited the political and economic elite.