4 Corners Festival - Lord Mayors, forgiving, and Scottish Gaelic Psalms - spanning boundaries & healing relationships

For several years the 4 Corners Festival has been developing conversations across Belfast, introducing people to different corners of the city, spanning boundaries – physical, emotional and cerebral – in a bit to transform relationships and help heal the city.

This year’s festival began last week with the opening of an exhibition of artwork depicting contemporary spirituality in the Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts, a prayer breakfast, and a night exploring the stories of five “sometimes shocking” women that Matthew lists in the genealogy of Jesus.

The full programme is available on the 4 Corners Festival website. Some highlights still to come week ...

3 Mayors For All 4 Corners – Tuesday 3rd at 8pm – Fitzroy Presbyterian Ulster Museum – Free

The current Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon and the two previous ones – Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Gavin Robinson – discuss their experiences in during their years as first citizen. Where did they see imagination and generosity? What surprised them? What encouraged them? How were they changed by their year?

Imagine A World Without Human Trafficking – Wednesday 4th at 7.30pm – Fortwilliam & Macrory Presbyterian Church (on the Antrim Road) – Free

On St Patrick’s Day last year, the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches signed an agreement to combat slavery and human trafficking. “This is the first time since the Reformation that the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches have united together on a project of world-wide import.” Representatives from Tearfund, Trócaire and Stop the Traffik will discuss the issue from the perspectives of at home in Northern Ireland and abroad.

A Step Too Far? film screening – Saturday 7th at 3pm – Strand Arts Centre – Register for a free ticket

How do we react when we feel we’ve been wronged by others? Do we lash out? Are we eaten by a desire for revenge? The film A Step Too Far? investigates an alternative to revenge: the idea of forgiveness. Ordinary people from Northern Ireland to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania share how they have come to view forgiveness. Screening followed by a conversation with Lurgan film-maker Paul Moorehead.

Slighe na Beatha / The Path of Life – Saturday 7th at 7pm – Skainos, Newtownards Road – Free

‘You make known to me the path of life’. Psalm 16 v11. A journey through the Psalms in an evening of reflection and music with Scottish Gaelic Psalm singers. Explore how the Psalms reflect grief, anger, despair, healing, forgiveness, acceptance and hope. The organisers promise “each person will have an opportunity to lament aspects of the past as we connect with ourselves as a people still recovering from the pain of ‘The Troubles’ … Join us on our journey through the many different areas of human experience and our relationship with God.”