{{Infobox organization | name = Children in Crossfire | logo = File:Children_in_Crossfire_logo.png | logo_caption = | formation = 1996 | founder = Richard Moore | type = Non-profit | headquarters = 2 St Josephs Avenue, <br> Derry. BT48 6TH | location = Northern Ireland | coordinates = {{coord|54.991483|-7.325057|display=inline, title}} | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | slogan = | mission = | website = {{URL|https://www.childrenincrossfire.org}} }}
'''Children in Crossfire''' is a registered charity founded in Northern Ireland which aims to eradicate poverty and help children in war zones<ref name="econom" /> and works in partnership with local organizations in the developing world to make healthcare and education more accessible to young children. Children in Crossfire is registered as a charity in Northern Ireland (NIC101412) and the Republic of Ireland (CHY 20045517).<ref>{{cite web|title=The "deemed" list of Northern Ireland charities|url=https://apps.charitycommissionni.org.uk/Library/pdf_documents/20140925%20Deemed%20list.xls|website=The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland|accessdate=20 July 2017}}</ref> It is also a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States.
The charity has raised funds totaling over £25 million for causes in 10 countries including Malawi, The Gambia, and Ethiopia.<ref name=McKinney/>
The headquarters of the Children in Crossfire is located in Derry.<ref name="econom" >{{cite news|title=The Dalai Lama's planet|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2017/09/religion-and-climate-change|accessdate=13 September 2017|newspaper=The Economist|date=12 September 2017}}</ref>
==History== On May 4, 1972 during the Northern Ireland conflict ten year old Richard Moore was walking home from school past an army lookout post when a British soldier fired a rubber bullet from ten feet away blinding him for life.<ref name="RStory">{{cite web|title=Richard's Story|url=https://www.childrenincrossfire.org/who-we-are/richard/|website=Children in Crossfire|accessdate=20 July 2017}}</ref> Despite the blindness Richard went on to complete school with a degree in Business Administration, and became an accomplished musician.<ref name="DJournal">{{cite news|last1=Sweeney|first1=Eamon|title=Children in Crossfire: A true tale of tragedy to triumph|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/news/children-in-crossfire-a-true-tale-of-tragedy-to-triumph-1-6936253|accessdate=20 July 2017|agency=Derry Journal|date=September 13, 2015}}</ref>
Feeling a lack of satisfaction in the mid-1990s, Moore felt the need to give back to the world and help other children who, like himself, had been "caught in the crossfire" of violence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Children in Crossfire|url=http://www.richardmoore.ie/index.php/children_in_crossfire|website=Richard Moore|accessdate=20 July 2017}}</ref> In 1996 he realized this goal and began the Children in Crossfire charity with a mission to "combat the ravages of child poverty around the world."<ref name="DJournal" />
In 2007, Moore was the subject of the BBC documentary titled ''Blind Vision'' in which he tracks down the soldier who originally shot him in order to offer his forgiveness.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|title=Soldier who blinded man forgiven|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6356883.stm|access-date=20 July 2017|agency=BBC|publisher=BBC News|date=February 13, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Blind Vision (2007)|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8c52b40f|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202015327/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8c52b40f|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 2, 2018|website=BFI|accessdate=20 July 2017}}</ref> The two have become firm friends and give joint talks regarding the Gift of Reconciliation. In 2010, at the invitation of the Dalai Lama, they gave a talk in Dharamsala to an audience of over 2,500 people.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.berwickshirenews.co.uk/news/soldier-and-boy-he-blinded-40-years-ago-become-friends-1-3176715 |date=November 8, 2013 |title=Soldier and boy he blinded 40 years ago become friends |agency=berwickshirenews.co.uk |accessdate= February 1, 2018}}</ref>
Children in Crossfire has been of interest to the Dalai Lama since its founding, and it has been described as "one of his favourite charities".<ref name="econom" /> Having met with Moore initially at a peace conference in Belfast, the Dalai Lama was invited to the 10th anniversary of the organization's founding in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Monlam|first1=Tenzin|title=Dalai Lama to visit Derry for 20th anniversary of Children in Crossfire|url=http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=39155|accessdate=20 July 2017|publisher=Phayul.com|date=June 15, 2017}}</ref> Upon his arrival, the Dalai Lama stated to Moore, "Richard I'm here, your friend, you're my hero."<ref>{{cite news|title=Interview with Richard Moore, the Dalai Lama's Irish Hero, Part 2|url=http://www.thetibetpost.com/outlook/interviews-and-recap/2594-interview-with-richard-moore-the-dalai-lamas-irish-hero-part-2|accessdate=20 July 2017|agency=The Tibet Post|date=June 7, 2012}}</ref> The Dalai Lama returned to Derry in September 2017 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the NGO.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dalai Lama plans return to Londonderry|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dalai-lama-plans-return-to-londonderry-35828735.html|accessdate=20 July 2017|agency=Belfast Telegraph Digital|date=June 15, 2017}}</ref><ref name=McKinney>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2017/09/09/news/dalai-lama-joins-joanna-lumley-for-20th-anniversary-conference-of-children-in-crossfire-1132130/ |date=September 9, 2017 |title=Dalai Lama joins Joanna Lumley for 20th anniversary conference of Children in Crossfire |agency=irishnews.com |accessdate=1 February 2018}}</ref>
==Outreach== Since its 1996 inception Children in Crossfire has raised over $32.4 million to combat poverty in 10 countries.<ref name="McDaid">{{cite news|last1=McDaid|first1=Brendan|title=Dalai Lama to visit Londonderry for Children In Crossfire charity's anniversary|url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/dalai-lama-to-visit-londonderry-for-children-in-crossfire-charity-s-anniversary-1-8009613|accessdate=20 July 2017|agency=News Letter|date=June 15, 2017}}</ref> This money has gone to provide clean water to over one million people in Malawi, provide accessible education for visually-impaired students in The Gambia, treat over 2,000 cancer patients in Tanzania, and treat over 10,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Ethiopia.<ref name="McDaid" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Actress Joanna Lumley to join the Dalai Lama in Derry for Children in Crossfire event|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/actress-joanna-lumley-to-join-the-dalai-lama-in-derry-for-children-in-crossfire-event-35942205.html|accessdate=20 July 2017|agency=Belfast Telegraph Digital|date=July 18, 2017}}</ref> The charity has also given preschool access to over 100,000 children throughout Africa.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Schmauder|first1=Casey|title=Coming out of the crossfire|url=http://irishcatholic.ie/article/coming-out-crossfire|accessdate=20 July 2017|publisher=The Irish Catholic}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.childrenincrossfire.org Children in Crossfire website]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Children's charities based in Northern Ireland