Northern Ireland civil rights veteran to speak at seminar in Burt

Northern Ireland civil rights veteran Bernadette Devlin McAliskey will speak at a seminar in Inishowen next week where she will encourage local people to take an active role in their community and to remain hopeful for a fairer world.

A prominent feature of the civil rights movement from the 1960s onwards in Northern Ireland, she will be the keynote speaker at the 12th annual Change Makers Donegal seminar, due to take place in An Grianan Hotel, Burt on Friday, May 17. The main theme of the seminar, which is free to attend and open to everyone, is ‘The Ripple Effect: How taking action leads to hope’. Change Makers Donegal hope they will inspire others to take the actions needed to create change and hope in our lives. Project coordinator Myra McAuliffe said she is delighted to have a speaker of Bernadette McAliskey’s calibre to speak at their conference. She said she hopes Bernadette’s talk will inspire the seminar attendees. 

“We want to remind people that every action has a positive ripple effect. The world faces multiple connected challenges now such as war, climate change and global food insecurity. We are finding that local people need inspiration and hope,” said Myra. 

“Getting together for a morning to reflect and make new connections is motivating and everyone is welcome,” added Myra. 

Change Makers Donegal, an initiative led by the Inishowen Development Partnership and partnered with Self Help Africa, Donegal ETB, Trócaire, Concern Worldwide and Irish Aid, raise awareness of global issues, such as sustainability, climate change, and more, but at a local level through education workshops, community conversations and other initiatives. 

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As part of the seminar, people will also hear from Trócaire Water Justice Officer, Salome Mumba, who has been working for the organisation for the past nine years in Malawi. 

Salome will talk about how climate change has spelt disaster for the people in Malawi, who are experiencing extreme weather such as cyclones, flooding and now drought.

In a pre-recorded video message Salome says: “To all the changemakers in Donegal, I want to remind you that we live in a world where everything is interconnected - your solidarity and support are deeply appreciated. 

“Please keep connecting local and global issues and maintain a network of support by talking to one another.”

The seminar will also hear from a panel of local changemakers involved in various aspects of the Irish Aid-funded community project at the Inishowen Development Partnership – including the Seeds of Change Funding and Mentoring programme for community groups, the Intercultural Studies course, the Change Makers’ new Sustainability Passport programme and the award-winning online Bookless Book Club. 

Booking for the seminar is now open. Attendance is free, and lunch and refreshments are included, however, booking is necessary via www.eventbrite.ie or by emailing changemakers@inishowen.ie by Wednesday, May 15.