Offaly migrant paves the way for diverse leadership
Ekaterina Koneva from Offaly was among 31 migrants graduating from political and leadership programmes, at a ceremony run by the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI).
Ekaterina graduated from the Migrant Councillor Internship Scheme. Run by the ICI, the course is aimed at increasing migrant representation in politics and encouraging migrants to use their voice to enact change.
At a special event at EPIC Museum Dublin, graduates were presented with certificates. Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission delivered the keynote address.
Ekaterina Koneva, originally from Lithuania, took part in the Migrant Councillor Internship scheme. She has been living in Ireland for 16 years in Offaly.
Ekaterina has been an advocate for many years and wanted to become more active in politics. The internship provided her with experience of how the political system in Ireland works.
She used the opportunity to get involved in local politics and learn as much as possible from her mentor – Edenderry Green Party Councillor Mark Hackett.
Speaking at the graduation, Immigrant Council of Ireland CEO, Brian Killoran, said: “One of the most incredible benefits to working with diverse communities is the opportunity to interact with up-and-coming community and political leaders.
"The energy, dynamism, and passion of those who participate in our leadership academy and political internship scheme gives us all a boost, and shows us that the future is bright for social and community activism in Offaly and Ireland, and for diversity in politics.
“By stepping up and participating, they are demonstrating their commitment to build a future for Ireland that is positive, diverse and informed by strong values of social justice, collaboration, mutual support and human rights. That’s an incredible thing, and so important in a world with many issues and challenges. We thank them for their commitment, and for participating.”
Adding to Mr Killoran’s comments, Integration Manager at the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Valéria Acquino commented: “We would like to thank the local councillors in Offaly who supported our political engagement work this year. They have helped demonstrate that there is a strong appetite for making Irish politics more diverse and reflective of the reality of Irish society.
“At the Immigrant Council, our work is enriched by the interactions we have with the fantastic people we meet through the leadership academy and political internship scheme, and we know that communities and local politics in Offaly and across Ireland will be enriched when the talent and enthusiasm shown by this group is harnessed and given an opportunity to shine.
“Given the recent media and online attention around refugee rights in communities across the country, we’re at risk of losing sight of the overwhelming positivity around migration and diversity that exists in Irish society.
"To counter this, we need to ensure that we showcase the contribution and potential of those who have chosen Ireland as their new home, and that we all recognise migrants and refugees as equal members of our communities, who share in the successes we have as a society.”
18 graduates in total completed the Migrant Leadership Academy. The aim of the programme is to improve leadership skills and the capacity of participants to initiate, design and implement community-led campaigns and initiatives. It also aims to empower migrant and refugee communities to speak out on issues affecting them.
Also recognised at the ceremony were 13 people who graduated from the Migrant Councillor Internship Scheme.
The internship scheme is a mentoring programme that pairs local councillors with migrants who want to learn more about Irish politics and get involved in their local communities. Graduates from this programme hailed from Dublin, Waterford, Offaly, Galway, Cavan, Cork and Kildare.