Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair have received honorary doctorates from Queen's University, Belfast.
They both received law doctorates for distinction in public service and for their roles in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Mr Ahern travelled north for the ceremony, while Mr Blair's degree was conferred by video link.
The current Chancellor at Queen's is George Mitchell, the US senator who chaired the political talks which produced the Good Friday Agreement.
Over the next two days, Queen's will host a major conference exploring the lessons to be learned from Northern Ireland's experience of peace-building and regeneration.
The speakers will include the former partners in the first power-sharing executive, David Trimble and Seamus Mallon.
