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Friends Forever tells Sister Cities Committee it can help revive Carrickfergus ties, hosts July youth visit
Summary
A nonprofit delegation from Friends Forever told the Sister Cities Committee it can help reconnect Portsmouth with Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, offering to host a July visit by roughly 10 young people and to facilitate reciprocal school exchanges and community events.
Steven, a representative of the nonprofit Friends Forever, told the Sister Cities Committee that his organization has a 40‑year history of exchanges with Carrickfergus and is prepared to help Portsmouth reestablish people‑to‑people ties. “We bring over a group from Ireland and Northern Ireland every year,” he said, noting Friends Forever runs a residential center near Carrickfergus that can house visiting delegations.
The visitors likely to come this summer will be young people aged about 14 to 18, Steven said, and Friends Forever proposed simple, public events such as a short speech from the youth to committee members and the community. “They all sign photo releases… so you guys could feel free to publicize whatever it is you want,” he said.
Committee members discussed logistics and local partnerships: Rotary clubs in Carrickfergus have longstanding links with Friends Forever, and the organization said it can share materials with local Rotary or schools to rebuild connections. The committee agreed that welcoming delegations and offering meet‑and‑greet events are within its purview.
Members also raised the possibility of creating reciprocal exchanges involving Portsmouth High School. Steven described a credit‑bearing Learn Everywhere program in New Hampshire that includes a course on Northern Ireland culture; he suggested future programs could bring Portsmouth students to Carrickfergus and bring students from Northern Ireland to Portsmouth.
The committee discussed practical considerations such as travel dates, accommodation and ensuring the visits are purposeful and safe for youth. The committee asked Friends Forever to provide contacts and dates; Friends Forever offered its Durham office as a local coordination point and said volunteers and alumni could support hosting and tours.
The committee welcomed the presentation and agreed to follow up to identify points of contact and specific dates for the July delegation.
