I was born into a Catholic family. I grew up in West Belfast. Faith was very important to us eight children and my mother and father. It was grounded in the Christian tradition of social involvement.

I witnessed a lot of violence, and I found myself asking the question: Do you ever use violence to try to bring about political change?

I believe in a non-killing future.

I believe that hope for the future depends on each of us taking nonviolence into our hearts and minds and developing new and imaginative structures which are nonviolent and life-giving for all.

The vast majority of people have never hurt anybody in their lives, don't want killing, don't want wars. In all the countries of the world, they just want to love their families and get on with their lives.

We need human security: food, education, health care for our children.

We have to start from the fact that there are always alternatives to violence.