On October 12, 2026, MOMRI Director Dr. Olivier Urbain visited Belfast, where he had an opportunity to meet and deepen the relationship with colleagues, students, academics and leaders in the field of Music in Peacebuilding.

Darren Ferguson, CEO of Beyond Skin

Based on the successful collaboration started between MOMRI and Beyond Skin until it was stopped by the Covid pandemic, we explored ways to resume our work in various ways.

Learn about Beyond Skin’s current project with Afghan artists and musicians.

Fiona Magowan, MOMRI Affiliate and Sara Walmsley, Visiting Scholar at QUB

Continuing a productive working relationship that started in 2015, Professor Magowan invited Dr. Urbain to attend her class and to exchange ideas with the guest speaker, Dr. Sara (Sally) Walmsley, an “Artist-Anthropologist working at the intersection of creativity, research, and lived experience,” as described on her website. She is also a visiting scholar at QUB.

Matthew Moran, Director of the Queen’s Institute for Peace, Security and Justice (IPSJ)

Professor Moran, Professor Magowan and Dr. Urbain, who is a member of the International Advisory Board of the IPSJ, discussed the potential of MOMRI to contribute a Music in Peacebuilding dimension to the institute's research activities.

Peace Bench and Peace Tree

It is always refreshing to visit the Peace Bench and Peace Tree at QUB, created to commemorate the occasion of Min-On founder Daisaku Ikeda receiving an honorary doctorate from the university in 2009. The Peace Bench already played a role during MOMRI’s 2026 Summit in Belfast!

MOMRI will continue strengthening the relationships established with QUB, Beyond Skin and other institutions in Belfast, a city that is vibrant with activities for peace, culture and education.