A centre for research into how practical co-operation can be achieved between North and South was officially opened on the Queen's University campus in the city of Armagh yesterday.
The Centre for Cross-Border Studies, a joint initiative by Queen's University Belfast, Dublin City University and the Workers' Educational Association (Northern Ireland), will be on the Armagh campus.
The secretary-general at the Department of Education and Science, Mr John Dennehy, addressed politicians and leading community figures from both sides of the Border on behalf of the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, who was unable to attend.
"The Belfast Agreement represents a leap of faith for all the many parties involved and it challenges us all to overcome our preconceived notions and work together in a spirit of co-operation," he said.
"In hoping that the outcome of the present review procedure will be positive, it is nevertheless vital to realise that the process continues, and that co-operation is the track on which progress will roll."
The North's Minister for the Economy, Mr John McFall, described the venture as an exciting opportunity to promote understanding.
"There is a strong desire for co-operation, but we know that in many cases the desire is often frustrated by a lack of information or imagination to turn it into reality.
"I am confident that this centre will ensure that the current groundswell of co-operative spirit is maintained against the background of the development of the Belfast Agreement," he said.
The director of the centre, Mr Andy Pollak, said the venture would open up a new educational and research dimension to the peace process, and would aim to involve policy-makers and practitioners.
"We believe there is broad agreement in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on the advantages of practical cross-Border co-operation in a range of areas.
"Until now there has been little research into those areas, and as a consequence little strategic development of co-operation," he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University, Prof George Bain, said Queen's and its partners in the venture believed the low level of contact across the Border, particularly in education, damaged the well-being of both parts of the island. It was necessary to remove some of the mutual suspicions, he added.
A board of nine academics, chaired by Mr Chris Gibson, the chairman of CBI (Northern Ireland), will complete a sector-by-sector study of the current state of cross-Border co-operation.
The centre, which has received funding of £400,000 over 18 months from the EU fund for peace and reconciliation, also intends to commission and publish academic research.
Mr Danny Kennedy, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for Newry and Armagh, who attended yesterday's opening, said the work of the centre would be important.
The deputy leader of the UUP, Mr John Taylor, said the research carried out by the centre would provide a "learning curve" for the Republic that the British Isles was a unit.
"The sooner we have a single currency in the British Isles the better. This hopefully would mean the South returning to sterling again and getting rid of the 20 per cent barrier which really inhibits real co-operation across the Border in trade terms."