“We have organised events in the past, but our WOMAD experience has taken this type of initiative to a whole new level.

The professionalism of the artists and the way they engaged with children and adults in the prior workshops was inspirational.

Beyond Skin, the local partner for WOMAD  in Northern Ireland showed enormous dedication and attention to detail in order to provide us with a fantastic event which exceeded our expectations.”

“If you want a powerful good relations programme in your area and to maximise community engagement, you could do no better than enlist the Beyond Skin team. They are by far the most creative, dedicated and professional delivery agent I have ever worked with”

“The summit created an environment of creative learning opportunities allowing young people to explore the wider world and engage in peace building ideas and activities.

Addressing stereotypes and fears through inclusive and fun experiences and opportunities without drawing too much on the negatives. The positives are far more powerful when asking for change. It provided a space for young people to gather their thoughts on what peace meant to them, changing the dialogue for young people from; ‘this is what you should be learning/doing’ to ‘show us what you can do’ that was a very powerful thing to watch. 

The summit created an atmosphere of ‘togetherness’ that I’ve never experienced on that level before. It was one of the most powerfully inspiring weeks of my life.”

“The whole event was well managed, schools were kept informed and arrangements were precise and well organised.

I have no hesitation in recommending this programme and would be bitterly disappointed if we were unable to access it in the future.”

“It was an amazing event and I'm getting similar feedback from community organisations who attended during the day.

I can't congratulate you enough in delivering what was, perhaps, the truest and biggest multi-cultural event I've seen in 13 years working in Inner East Belfast. From the flags outside Skainos to the final concert on Friday it was truly outstanding. I recognised local residents and community leaders in the audience on Friday night. Who would have thought that we could get such a culturally diverse range of people out on a Friday night on the Lower Newtownards Road?

I think you have created a great foundation on which we can all build. Brilliant and well done all.”

“Just want to say that the showcase was fantastic! Our guys here at Stepping Stones were so nervous to get on stage but when they did it, it was a massive sense of achievement for them. Our manager came down and said that all the acts were brilliant.

Many Thanks ”

“Congratulations on a fantastic showcase event last Friday!

It was brilliant and so fun. My daughters had such a great night - they didn't want to leave. Jasmine was up there on the stage shaking her booty with Donna!!! When we left, Jasmine said that was one of the best evenings she has ever had (she's 7!)!”

“Congratulations on a hugely successful WOMAD event last week, it was a pleasure to work with you. It has been a part of the Skainos vision from the very beginning to nurture shared space in one of the contested parts of our city and we saw the arts as very much a part of that nurturing.

In my 13 years of engagement with Skainos I could hardly have foreseen a fuller realisation of that ambition than last Friday. The noise, the colour, the talent and the sheer diversity of the event was a wonder to see.

Thanks for taking it to East Belfast and to Skainos”

“Dear Darren (Beyond Skin CEO) - Thank you again for your vision and camaraderie.

I left Northern Ireland full of much hope and spirit knowing that our causes of peace building and peace building connect us overseas and land so far apart.  The Global Youth Peace Summit brought together a diverse group of peaceful revolutionaries full of great capability and time-tested practice to advance the cause of peace in Northern Ireland and beyond. 

Personally, I felt a great urgency to help youth find focus and self-actualizing roles in the betterment of society be it in Belfast or any other part of the world. You also helped bring Gani, Mark, Luna and I together who despite being a part of the same organisation, our timelines of participation differ. At the summit, we combined our experiences together into beautiful voices and for that, I am truly grateful.  I look forward to working with you again. In the meantime, we'll continue our efforts to empower our youth through the power of music and co-creation.”

"In 37 years of teaching, I have never seen all children engaged all of the time in any activity like I have today."

“Fantastic Event! Left feeling positive about living, as a minority in East Belfast. Thank-you!”

“This type of experience should be more accessible to schools. If funding were in place to make the costs affordable, more children could enjoy. We recognise that we were very fortunate to be able to have these workshops in our school.”