The Ulster Sports Academy has released a DVD celebrating the power of sport to build peace and inclusion among communities.

The DVD is based on the activities of the North East PEACE III Sport for Peace Building project and highlights a number of good practice activities and events that have taken place over the past 12 months.

The Ulster Sports Academy at the University of Ulster has been managing the delivery of a sport for peace building project in the North East region.

The project has attracted more than 10,000 people from the regions of Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Larne, Limavady and Moyle, as well as international and cross border attendees.

Kyle Ferguson from the Ulster Sports Academy said: “The North East PEACE project uses sport as a medium to bring people together to understand each other’s cultures and develop relationships. This has included a number of workshops, seminars, conference, residential and international exchanges.

“The project has focused on engagement and empowerment to create lasting legacies. The success of the project has come from the structures created in the planning phase and the close working relationships established with local councils and volunteer groups and clubs to create a long-term sustainable legacy.

“The project will continue until September 2013, however, the structures that are now in place and the training provided will ensure our work continues into the future. More than 200 qualified coaches obtained accredited qualifications as part of the project.”

The programme builds on the University’s commitment to the local community and focuses on creating collaborating networks between researchers, policy makers and practitioners to share knowledge and building capacity through the power of sport.

The North East PEACE III Sport for Peace Building project is funded under the European Union’s PEACE III programme.

The DVD is available from the Ulster Sports Academy by emailing k.ferguson@ulster.ac.uk