This week, over 150 Irish community organizations from around the world are gathering in Dublin for two days of learning and strategizing on how to support Ireland’s diaspora.

The second-ever Global Irish Civic Forum will take place at Dublin Castle on May 4 and 5. Representatives from 159 different community organizations, from nearly 15 different countries including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France and the UAE, will meet with each other and with Irish government officials to discuss the issues their communities face and brainstorm ways forward. The global Irish diaspora is 70 million strong globally, with a myriad of different concerns for recent emigrants, older emigrants and the Irish removed from Ireland by one or more generations.

One of the major issues up for discussion will be voting rights for the Irish diaspora. Other key topics will include meeting the needs of evolving global Irish communities, mental health among Ireland’s emigrants, staying connected, how policy impacts the Irish diaspora, and how Irish culture can be enhanced abroad so that it flourishes among future generations of the diaspora, with special insights from the recently-launched Creative Ireland initiative.

For a full schedule, click here.

The first Global Irish Civic Forum took place in 2015 - watch videos from the two days of panels and talks below.