As we step into 2026, Lord Mayor Councillor Tracy Kelly shares an incredibly optimistic outlook for Belfast, highlighting a year brimming with exciting opportunities for our city and its residents.
Our city centre is set for continued revitalisation. Following a successful Christmas season, plans are in motion to create an even more vibrant, safe, and welcoming heart for Belfast. Key projects, including the redevelopment of Cathedral Gardens and exploring options for the historic Assembly Rooms, are moving forward, promising to shape our city for future generations.
August will see Belfast buzzing with the return of the Fleadh! Over 650,000 visitors are expected to flock to our streets for eight days of incredible music and craic, spread across more than 400 events. This will be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our diverse cultures, showcase local talent, and demonstrate our city’s ability to host world-class events we can all be immensely proud of.
Belfast has been designated a European City of Sport for 2026, and we're ready to embrace it! The year will be packed with events and activities dedicated to celebrating grassroots sports in our leisure centres, community hubs, and sports venues across the city. This initiative aims to encourage more people to get involved in physical activity and experience the many benefits it brings to health and wellbeing.
Amazing work is already underway in every corner of Belfast thanks to programmes like the Belfast PEACEPLUS Programme and other vital funding. These initiatives create wonderful opportunities to bring people together, learn from each other's cultures and experiences, and ultimately break down barriers within our communities.
Innovation is a core part of Belfast's spirit, and through the Belfast Region City Deal, our city is seizing the chance to become a global leader in tech, cyber security, and life sciences. This means exciting new opportunities for our young people, those looking to upskill, and anyone wanting to build a fulfilling life and career right here in Belfast.
Right here in our local communities, fantastic projects are leading the way – enhancing biodiversity, tackling the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and boosting overall wellbeing. These are all crucial steps in building the kind of city we all envision: one that genuinely improves outcomes for every single resident, a city we can collectively be proud to call home.
Councillor Kelly reflects on her term, noting how her interactions with groups and individuals across Belfast have highlighted how much more unites us than divides us. There's so much for us to celebrate and showcase to the world. She urges all residents to be proud of our city and everything it has to offer, encouraging everyone to embrace the exciting opportunities ahead and move forward, together, with positivity throughout 2026. She extends warm wishes for a healthy and happy new year to all.