Official URL: http://kennedyinstitute.nuim.ie/journal-of-mediati...

This article traces the development of the author’s evolving ideas and proposals, developed initially without mediation/conflict intervention training, to establish Conflict Intervention links between Ireland and Mali, West Africa. It tracks the evolution of these ideas from 2004 to 2014, starting with short-lived plans for a novel decommissioning initiative in Ireland, to a proposed major confidence-building International Conference, then to a story-telling intervention, finally to a generic proposal to develop unspecified Track Two and/or Track Three initiatives. The article identifies the main motivation as being to share the experience and expertise gained in Ireland through the Northern Ireland/Ireland/UK conflict and its on-going resolution. It outlines the basis for and aims of the various proposals as they evolved, and briefly describes their culmination in an exploratory visit to Mali with Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. The article highlights the role Ireland can play in the international conflict resolution arena.