Embracing Amartya Sen's prerequisites for equal development and freedom - the socioeconomic imperative, the path to peace, political freedom, community conciliation and cooperative community action - since October of 2000 FWB is achieving this through health care, education and related issues - to optimize the function of health care and its delivery, to form a partnership of the essential purveyors of community health and education in what is presently an unequal, inefficient and unaffordable system.

In a recent survey of the Northern Ireland (NI) heath care system, it was concluded the situation was totally unsatisfactory, the quality of care poor and adequate coverage unavailable. Life expectancy among the worst in Europe. A rising incidence of suicides among young people. Lung cancer death rates in women, the worst in Europe. Deaths from Breast cancer, the highest in the EU. In Belfast, the capital of NI, similar in size and economic profile to Baltimore in the United States, both port cities with the perception of minority disparities, in employment - with a long history of civil conflict, and a significant incidence of health care and related social and civil inequities.

Among our problems, health care spending, quality of care, timeliness showing a marked disparity between the rich and poor. As reported in the Economist (The English Patient) conditions in the National Health Care System in the UK are scarcely better, reflecting inappropriate organization or the complete lack of it with the insurance companies and the physicians, hospitals and clinics competing for "top dollar" while the patient dies waiting (UK Press August 2000) with some essential medications, in the U.S. and elsewhere, still unaffordable.

Health care service needs are estimated to reach a 2.3 trillion dollar market by the year 2006. To project a more efficient system better serving all our needs, FWB suggest a "partnership" - a fundamental restructuring of the key components. The partnership to include the three most critical beneficiaries - the patient, the public "family" or community, the medical teaching institutions and, finally, the purveyors of the determined needs and services, from drug companies to health devices, to communication, transport etc. for the community, their "market place". With these objectives in mind, to analyze the agents of need, quality, detection, prevention and ongoing care etc., among our primary goals, we propose a study to determine regional health care needs and deficiencies

1. A focus on continuing cross-border and inter-community exchange - education on conflict resolution - health and social exchange. The long range plans will include working with students and faculty from regional schools, and through the CDYC and the Senior Corps.

2. Shared Multi - Media Centre - A new multi media centre containing facilities for film making, multi screen cinema, journalism, theatre, video conferencing and workspace for investment and employment in the communcations industry which FWB is currently pursuing.

3. Potential US investors are being contacted with the assistance of the Baltimore World Trade Center, Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and agencies from Northern Ireland e.g. NIIDB and others.

5. Newspaper - The students will produce a publication in newspaper format that will examine cultural progress and change - building a more wholesome society - to be used as part of the overall application to funding sources.

6. Video Conferencing - Video conferencing will be explored by the students, networking with others internationally - an important form of cross border communication.