Trinity College Exhibition Highlights Contribution of Migrant Networks’ Leaders
Posted on: 12 June 2009
‘Leaders’, a photographic exhibition which showcases the contribution made by migrant networks in Ireland opened on Thursday May 28 last at the Buttery Cafe in Trinity College Dublin. The exhibition documents the work and achievements of eighteen individuals and organisations in rights advocacy, gender issues, culture, the media, and religion and highlights how these migrant networks facilitate social, cultural, and political integration in Ireland. The exhibition, which is open to the public until 25 June, is organised by the Trinity Immigration Initiative Migrant Networks Project and supported by An Post.
Dr. Ronit Lentin, principal investigator of the Migrant Networks Project, School of Social Science and Philosophy, TCD said: “While not claiming to represent all of the many migrant networks, and the many migrant leaders working in Ireland, this exhibition is our way of showcasing and saying thank you to some of the migrant leaders we have worked with over the past 18 months for the contribution they and their networks are making to Ireland’s cultural, social and political lives. These leaders are showing Ireland how, often in difficult situations, with little funding and support, migrants are advocating for their communities in the areas of religion, culture, gender and media, and thus not only enriching the lives of their communities, but also transforming Irish society”.
Barney Whelan, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, at An Post said it was pleased to support the exhibition not least because it had witnessed the steady integration of both newly arrived and long-settled immigrants into its 10,000 strong workforce and as an organisation was the better for it. “An Post is used to serving Ireland’s diverse population because we are uniquely connected to everyone working and living in the country. Whether sending or receiving letters and parcels; saving, collecting or sending money home; paying bills or getting insurance; everyone in the country engages directly with An Post and we try to serve our customers with equality and dignity”.
Migrant leaders Kunle Animashaun and Anna Pas.
The Trinity Immigration Initiative (TII) brings together key strands of Trinity College’s strategies in research, teaching, and contribution to society, assisting the university to play an influential role in developing a more inclusive, multicultural society for the future. TII is the country’s largest research programme in immigration working to inform and assist local, national, and international bodies to develop constructive policies in relation to immigration. Specifically, the TII Migrant Networks Project maps migrants’ networking and explores how these networks facilitate social, cultural, and political integration in Ireland. The project aims to enable government departments, public bodies, NGOs, the media, the general public, and migrants themselves, to understand migrants as active agents in their own integration and as contributing to Ireland’s new cultural richness. TII is supported by AIB Bank.
The migrant leaders and organisations featured in the ‘Leaders’ Exhibition were researched by Elena Moreo, Trinity Immigration Initiative, and the portrait photographs were taken by Carl Czanik.
The Buttery is open 8.00 am – 4:00 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00 am to 3:00 pm on Fridays.