The Church of Ireland Primate Archbishop Alan Harper chose the concept of inclusivity as the main theme of his address to the annual General Synod which is meeting in Armagh this weekend.

It was a good choice not only for church and society at this time. It is also a theme which could well be applied to some of the major developments elsewhere this week, including a visit by the Queen and Prince Philip to Northern Ireland.

One of the keynote functions was the Hillsborough reception which was attended by the Royal couple and also by the Irish President Mary McAleese and her husband. It is a welcome measure of the progress made since the Good Friday Agreement that the Queen and the President continue to meet regularly, and to underline and symbolise how far we have all come in a relatively short time.

Such meetings are to be welcomed as a sign of continuing good relations. There is a need for even more inclusivity within these islands which have so many

economic and other ties, and also for greater understanding between the different communities.

The dark years of our shared history have left a legacy which has not yet been totally consigned to the past, and everything possible must be done to maintain the momentum towards mutual recognition and respect. The idea of inclusivity does not mean a dilution of identity or a dimunition of cultural ties and loyalties. On the contrary, it requires an ability to seek out those factors which nations, peoples and communities have in common. Perhaps the most obvious of these is a shared humanity. It

was particularly fitting that the Queen and President McAleese were meeting in Hillsborough to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Co-Operation Ireland, which was known originally as Co-Operation North.

This bridge-building organisation was pioneered by the Limerick campaigner Dr Brendan O’Regan who understood — ahead of so many others — the economic advantages of a stable political settlement. The Hillsborough reception and the presence of both Heads of State would have been, for Brendan O’Regan, a dream come true. He worked long

and hard, often against the odds, for his then-innovative ideas to be accepted.

It was also particularly appropriate that the Irish rugby squad was present at the Hillsborough reception. This outstanding group which made history by winning the Gram Slam for Ireland has underlined the value of the inclusiveness of so many talented young men from all parts of this island.

Sadly, there are still some people who might regard inclusiveness on a wider scale as a threat rather than a welcome development. Archbishop Harper wisely placed the concept of “inclusivity” in context when he told the General Synod: “It is essential for a community to embrace a policy and ethos of inclusivity because this is the most effective antidote to division and conflict.”

Within such a context, this has been a good week for those who recognise the futility of conflict and who continue to work together inclusively for the common good in all parts of these islands. As we have all found to our cost, exclusivity does not work.