Diversity: Key to Success of Irish Society

Conor Lenihan T.D. Minister for Integration

Conor Lenihan T.D. Minister for Integration formally opened the first Leading Schools Conference on Friday, 6 February at DCU. The theme of this year’s conference was “Leading Schools in an Intercultural Ireland". The conference was organised by the School of Education Studies.

In his address Minister Lenihan said that an appreciation and understanding of diversity was essential if Ireland was to be a successful society in the future. Mr. Lenihan also argued that many of the multi-cultural and assimilation projects tried in other countries such as the UK and the USA had failed. He said that Ireland was uniquely positioned to develop its own initiatives to address issues of diversity in society and in education.

In response the key note speaker, Prof Jagdish Gundara UNESCO Chair for International Studies at the University of London argued that initiatives to promote intercultural education in schools need to be supported by evidence rather then fuelled by media or public opinion. Prof Gundara reminded his audience of the isolation many Irish immigrants in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s had experienced and that it was through education that this was tackled.

School Principal Tómas Ó Dúlaing gave a reflective paper which focused on the experiences of the Travelling Community and argued that despite many positive initiatives many Travellers are still not accessing and participating in education.

The Leading Schools Conference was part funded by DCU’s Office for the Vice President for Research and also under the EU Framework 6 project.