For 30 years, Northern Ireland was plagued by what was known as the Troubles, sectarian

violence between its Protestant and Catholic populations.

The Catholics wanted to be independent of British control, but the Protestants wanted to

remain British.

Right before the Troubles started, some Catholics took to the streets to protest their minority

status through non-violent civil action, which our guest today describes as something

akin to the American Civil Rights Movement.

The honest, if awkward reality of Northern Ireland, up to the late 60s, was one in which

Catholics were discriminated against.

And along the way, the peaceful protests turned violent.

And for three decades, the troubles went on and claimed well over 3,000 lives.

This is Richard Haas.

Haas is a former special envoy for Northern Ireland who later served as president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Two decades ago, Haas was tasked with implementing the landmark agreement that ended those troubles, called the Good Friday Agreement.

It was a task that involved a delicate balancing act of working with both sides to overcome bitterness and identifying the areas where consensus could be found.

I'm Annalise Riles, and you're listening to Everyday Ambassador, where we look at the small moves that make for big change. Today on the

show, Friendship, its power to endure and bridge divides. Later on in this episode, I'll share

with you my own experience of finding common ground with someone who has very different views

from me on the topic of

reproductive rights. But first, let's turn back to my conversation with Richard Haas.

As he told me, diplomacy isn't done once the agreement is signed. It's at that point that

the real work begins. All new agreements tend to be fragile. It takes a while for agreements to put down

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