When I first visited Derry in 2009, after a very convincing argument by Martina Anderson who was in Boston earlier that year, I found a city full of life, full of passion, full of determination to move forward - together - to redefine their economy and their community.
We walked around the old Ebrington Barracks that day, and we were told of the plans to join the banks of the River Folye with a Peace Bridge. We saw the plans to take the barracks, a tangible example of the past pain and struggles of the city, and create an area that would benefit all of the people of the community.
I was struck by the sheer will of everyone from politicians to businesses to academics to bandage the wounds of the past to give Derry a future.
A year later, we returned, both to work on economic development efforts and because in the short time we spent in Derry, the city and the people became part of us. We were amazed by the transformation. The Peace Bridge was nearly completed, the work on the barracks had begun and the successful campaign to highlight the city as the 2013 City of Culture was underway.
We met with several different organizations, business people, including my good friend Garvan O'Doherty and elected officials from all the political parties and with each meeting, we saw an even greater determination to transform the area.
The efforts to move Derry and the entire Northwest of Ireland forward is an example really for any region because, despite our different pasts, we are all at place in time which in order to thrive there cannot be anything dividing us.
We must build the bridges that connect our shores, that span the oceans and that bring all of us together. This is what Golden Bridges is all about - using our cultural and historical ties as a foundation to continue to build an economic bridge between here and the Northwest of Ireland for the 21st century.
The measure of success should not be the size of the project, but rather that we are able to come together and make something tangible happen. And I believe that the most valuable, lasting and successful connections we can make are by getting the right people in a room together face to face.
It is what these two days are about and what the basis is for the group I started with colleagues here in Massachusetts and in Northern Ireland, NIMAC - Northern Ireland Massachusetts Connection.
The idea to focus on what we have in common and how we can complement each other economically and culturally is critical in moving our areas forward. There is no reason for each of us to reinvent the wheel. We all have strengths that we can build off of for mutual benefit.
When we started NIMAC we recognized that opportunity, and in a few years have accomplished a great deal. I, along with the Massachusetts Life Science Center, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Invest Northern Ireland, and the universities in both areas, began NIMAC in 2010 as a way to promote both Massachusetts and Northern Ireland in the areas of health care technology and life sciences. Since then we have had Finland and the Catalonia region join the group, and in June at the BIO International Conference, NIMAC facilitated the signing of a strategic alliance on tissue engineering research and development between universities in Northern Ireland, Massachusetts and Finland.
NIMAC started as a group of people around a table, has grown with our last meeting here in Boston including nearly 100 participants from all of the regions, including health ninister Edwin Poots. And we expect for the organization to keep growing.
As we moved forward on this venture, I was insistent on one thing - that the assets we have here are statewide and the opportunities for economic development do not end at Boston's city limits.
In order to be successful in expanding our economic reach we must promote all that the entire Commonwealth has to offer. That is why in our work to strengthen economic ties with Northern Ireland we are not just looking for partnerships within the Belfast city limits.
The Northwest has an important role to play in promoting economic partnerships between Massachusetts and Northern Ireland. With assets like Project Kelvin, 2013 City of Culture designation, and a commitment to a joint economic effort that spans both politics and region, the Derry-Donegal area has a unique opportunity to promote itself.
And with our historic and cultural ties to this area, we are already a step ahead of the game on identifying and moving forward on areas of mutual economic interest.
Talking is easy, ideas make great conversation, but it is when we roll up our sleeves and get to work, we will see results. We can and will find opportunities to improve our collaboration, strengthen our ties, and find economic opportunities that will benefit each of us.
This is extracted from opening remarks delivered by Massachusetts State President Therese Murray at the Echo's Golden Bridges gathering in Boston last week.
