The event drew speakers from DkIT and the wider regional community such as Sergeant Eugene Collins from An Garda Síochána Community Policing; Councillor Joanna Byrne, Louth County Council; members of the Students’ Council at St Marys College, Dundalk; Mr Adenkule from the African Cultural Project in Dublin; representatives from the Asian, Islamic and African societies at DkIT; Noreen Carney, International Relations Manager (DkIT); Summer Murphy, International Relations Administrator, (DkIT) and incoming Vice President of Welfare and Equality at DkIT Students Union, Taidgh Kavanagh. Each guest speaker shared aspects about their role in promoting social inclusion and diversity in their areas of work to over 125 participants.   

Dr. Dalikeni has developed and delivered a Level 2 Social Inclusion and Diversity training course to educators across the EU to support integration and promotion of diversity within the five partner countries. The course aims to increase the knowledge and awareness of the needs and circumstances of new migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and is supported by teacher and student handbooks and case study films from across the five partner countries.

In opening the ceremony, Dr. Patricia Moriarty, Head of School of Business and Humanities thanked all present for their interest, solidarity and support of the event. Dr Moriarty said:

I am delighted by the success of Dr. Dalikeni’s Social Inclusion and Diversity course, and that the course is being used to raise awareness of the needs and experiences of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. It underlines DkIT’s commitment to challenging racism and discrimination through education and informed debate and discussion".

Dr Dalikeni said:

It gives me hope to see so many at this event, it signifies an appetite for more of this kind of work and how we all have a responsibility to make sure that no one is left behind.  At the end of the day, we are all part of humanity regardless of the colour of our skin, our religious or sexual orientation, or anything that makes us different.  It is wonderful that Ireland is now a multicultural society, however, many challenges relating to racism, hate crimes, discrimination and xenophobia befall us.  It is up to each one of us to make the world a better place. There is more to humanity that should unite rather than separates us".

As co-founder of the Welcome Group in DkIT, Dr. Dalikeni hopes to further develop her course to a higher level and roll it out to secondary schools and within DKIT. Dr. Dalikeni believes the course to be a useful tool to open up conversations about inclusion social inclusion of all in society and especially new comers to our country and county.

The Learning for Living Together Project is managed by Southern Regional College in collaboration with five other partners including  DkIT; RIC, a Latvia organisation who use art and creativity to promote social integration, personal development and improve the quality of life for low-income families and those deemed ‘at-risk’; Kettle of Fish, a social economy film production company from Northern Ireland and CONFORM Scarl in Italy who develop research projects and training plans for classrooms; experiential and e-learning courses.

Further information on the project is available from Dr. Dalikeni at colletta.dalikeni@dkit.ie or visit the project website here.

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BA (Hons) in Social Care