In Washington, Treaty Day honors the signing of the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855. This treaty was an agreement between the US government and several Native Nations, including the Lummi Nation. It promised that Native peoples could keep important rights, such as fishing and hunting on their traditional lands, and have access to education, healthcare and water. Treaties are important laws that are often made to create peace or set rules between groups.
Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and has been deeply affected by conflict between Protestant and Catholic communities. Many Protestants in Belfast want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, while many Catholics want Northern Ireland to join the Republic of Ireland. From the late 1960s through the 1990s, a time of violence called The Troubles took place, and Belfast was one of the main centers of fighting. To reduce violence in Belfast, the government built peace walls that separated Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods. Some of these walls were closed at night to prevent fighting. Today, many schools in Belfast are still separated by religion, and several peace walls remain standing.
