The Lucent Technologies Foundation has donated $40,000 (€37,779) to fund a multimedia package designed by Co-operation Ireland for schools in Northern Ireland and the Republic. The package will allow students from North and South to plan their school exchange programmes together, and communicate more freely.

According to Mr Joseph Lyons, managing director of Lucent Technologies in Ireland: "Co-operation Ireland is the ideal partner to further the aims of the Lucent Foundation to help create opportunities for young people of diverse backgrounds to realise their highest potential." The Lucent Foundation has designated $1 million to create Lucent Links, a programme supporting organisations that promote understanding among people from different backgrounds.