NCP Addresses European Cultural Foundation Conference

25 Jun 2010

How People Live their Lives in an Intercultural Society

Reginald Inya, NCP Dublin Co-ordinator addressed the EUROPEAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION Conference 'How People Live their Lives in an Intercultural Society' 23 June 2010.

Also addressing the gathering were President Mc Aleese, Miriam Hederman O Brien President Irish Committee European Cultural Foundation, Rory O Donnell Director National Economic Cultural and Social Forum, Peter Cassells & Katherine Watson Acting Director European Cultural Foundation. View Images of NCP Delegation with President Mc Aleese & Irish Committee President, Miriam Hederman O Brien

 

Conference Background:

In 2008, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, the Irish Committee of the ECF was approached by the then Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan TD, to undertake a series of conversations exploring the cultural dimen¬sion of migration and integration. The project was entitled 'How People Live their Lives in an Intercultural Society'.

Through support from the Minister's Office, the ECF brought together almost 100 people in eight conversations to document how people deal with profound change as they settle in a new country and their daily experiences in relation to integration. More recently, the project looked at how the economic downturn is impacting on those who have made Ireland their home.

Under the guidance of the former General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Peter Cassells, new ideas emerged from these conversations that could support better outcomes for communities in the future. This conference marked the publication of the report on these conversations. The report will be fed into policy and development in the areas of integration and interculturalism .