DONEGAL DIASPORA – KEEPING CONNECTED IN THE COVID AGE

Covid may have kept us apart this year, but the connections amongst our Diaspora are stronger than ever thanks to the digital age. In the midst of Covid19, conversations with the global Donegal Diaspora continued with technology providing new connections and experiences for our Diaspora to enjoy. The importance of staying connected and continuing to reach out to our global Diaspora was reinforced through the recently launched National Diaspora Strategy 2020 – 2025 by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade. 

The objectives of the National Strategy are very much aligned with those of the Donegal Diaspora Strategy.  Key themes included in the National strategy include commitments to ensure that the most vulnerable of our overseas communities are supported; to hold a referendum to extend the rights to vote in Presidential elections to Irish citizens, wherever they live; to seek pathways to legal migration to the US and solutions for the undocumented Irish citizens; to promote opportunities for the next generation of the Diaspora to work and study in Ireland and to address barriers facing emigrants who are returning home.

The pandemic has made all of us reassess how we operate and find new ways to conduct our business, and the Donegal Diaspora project is no different. At a time, when we cannot conduct our high profile awards ceremonies and physical events, connecting and reconnecting with our global Diaspora we have needed to pivot in the interim and take advantage of our online stage.

In order to continue connecting and reconnecting with our global Diaspora to build our network and present the Donegal offering, we want to introduce you to our online offering for existing networks, organisations and chapters.  We want to increase our connections with you, the global Donegal Diaspora family, those of you who have the desire to move back and take advantage of the opportunities in Donegal and those of you who don’t, but would love to connect and work towards common goals.

Through our online platform, we hope to connect those near and far with common interests, common goals and a willingness to help each other because that’s the Donegal way.

To date, we have reached out to and connected with our Diaspora in Boston, Chicago, Scotland and Dublin and in the coming months we hope to extend our engagement with our Diaspora through a range of online events and discussions.

So if you are involved in, or aware of, networks or organisations with people who have a link to or a love for Donegal then why not get in touch, we would love to hear from you to continue the conversation to deepen and enhance the relationship with our county.

For more information email JoAnne at info@donegaldiaspora.ie