A Dublin man who founded a project to break down barriers between schoolchildren North and South was tonight awarded an MBE.
Charlie Martin (54) came up with the idea of his football club in Shankill, Dublin playing against Shankill, Belfast in 1994 when he 'knew nothing' about politics in the North.
"I got in touch with the Glencree reconciliation centre and they wouldn't fund a football match, but they would fund a project. That's where it started," he said.
The Shankhill/Shankhill project has since brought together more than 500 schoolchildren from interfaced areas of North Belfast and Dublin for joint social activities and workshops.
"It's all about making friends and breaking down the barriers. We've been working quietly with six schools in Belfast, three Catholic and three Protestant," said Mr Martin.
The project has secured funding for the next two and a half years from the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.
The British Ambassador to Ireland, Stewart Eldon, tonight presented Mr Martin with an honorary Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) to mark his work over the last 12 years.
"I have had several opportunities to see for myself the valuable work undertaken by the Shankill-Shankill Project, and cannot praise it and Charlie's initiative enough," said Mr Eldon.
"Promoting understanding and building relationships between young people North and South is one of the most important things we can do to build a better future."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair used the 'Wall of Peace' exhibition developed by the project during a 1997 summit meeting with US President Bill Clinton to highlight the need to solve the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Mr Martin grew up in Ballyfermot in Dublin but has been living in Shankill since 1984, where he works as a full time co-ordinator for the project. He said he had no problems accepting the MBE, which has been refused in the past by some Irish nominees due to its association with the British Empire.
"I didn't give much thought to it because I'm accepting it on behalf of everyone that's worked with the project over the years. I felt it was for the project, not for me."