In June 2025, the Department of International Education (IE) organized a 10-day study tour abroad course_GEL1011 "Study Tour Abroad: Conflict and Peace in Central Europe." This General Education Experiential Learning Course (GE ELC) included overseas elements and marked the third year of the department's initiative.
This year, Dr. Ezechiel Thibaud led 16 students to Dublin, Belfast and Derry in Ireland to explore the intricacies of the peace-making process. The group delved into the history of the Irish nation and examined the political, economic, and social impacts of centuries of British occupation. Students gained insights into the conflict between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which, although predominantly a religious conflict between Northern Protestants and Southern Catholics, also had significant political and social ramifications.
The "Troubles" that ravaged the Irish population for much of the 20th century culminated in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. During the tour, students had the unique opportunity to meet Billy McVeigh in Derry, the last survivor of Bloody Sunday. He provided an enlightening briefing on the events of Bloody Sunday and the background of the Good Friday Agreement.
