Welcome to Building Bridges for Peace

Welcome to Building Bridges for Peace

Promoting peace and conflict resolution throughout the world

Building Bridges for Peace was founded in 2009 by Jo Berry to promote peace and conflict transformation around the world. Jo now works around the world, recently in India and South Korea plus important work in schools around the UK. She is passionate about young people, empowering them to be positive change makers and develop resilience and emotional intelligence. She believes everyone deserves a voice and creates safe places for people to open up and be heard.

From two young people age 16 from a school in Tower Hamlets:

Jo makes you feel empowered and comfortable. All your problems, ideas and interests are understood by her, and she will help you turn your thoughts into actions to better our society.Jo Berry is a gem. She has come to us as a saviour to hear our needs, so desperately needed to be voiced and encouraged us that we can make positive change in society. Her optimism and passion empowered all of us. Her enthusiasm and energy has made us all more confident and passionate.

Jo founded the charity after losing her father Sir Anthony in the Brighton bomb in 1984 and since 2000 she has been working with the ex IRA combatant Patrick Magee who planted the bomb. In the last 20 years they have spoken together over 300 times and Jo draws on this experience in all the work she does. She speaks with Patrick a few times a year and there are several events coming up  to mark the 20th anniversary of their first meeting. .

The lessons she has been learning are now part of her work in demonstrating the power of empathy, how we can not choose revenge and blame. Above all she is working for a world where no one is demonised, where everyone has their truth and we find ways to resolve conflict so all win.