About First Wednesdays Autumn 2022 Series

THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY:
Exploring Commonalities in Global Citizenship and Activism 

Join us this Autumn for the new First Wednesdays series, a set of three interlinked conversations with those currently involved in real-world struggles in Ireland and beyond. We will take a closer look at commonalities ‘in struggle’ across campaigning and activism movements, and explore what it would mean to consider these struggles as part of a process of ‘acts of global citizenship’ and ‘democratising democracy’.

Join the conversation and register now for the first session of the series!  

Bilguunzorig Sukhbaatar

Bilguunzorig Sukhbaatar, or Billy for short, has been involved with the Justice for the Undocumented campaign and community as an activist and leader for the last 4 years. Originally from Mongolia, Billy celebrated getting his papers earlier this year through the regularisation scheme – or ‘paperised‘ as he likes to call it, a phrase that’s now been coined by the JFU community! Billy’s leadership in the Mongolian community here in Ireland has meant that many people have stepped up and got involved, and he has supported people in applying for the recent scheme.

Fiadh Tubridy

Fiadh is an organiser with the Community Action Tenants Union Ireland (CATU) and Trans Harm Reduction. Fiadh is co-chair of the Dún Laoghaire CATU branch and an active member of CATU’s training and education group. She is also a researcher at Maynooth University and is currently working on a collective research project about the history of community and tenant organising in Ireland and what lessons we can learn from this to build the contemporary housing movement.

Lorraine O’Connor

Lorraine was born and raised in Dublin. She embraced Islam over 15 years ago and graduated with a degree in Women’s Studies from University College Dublin. Lorraine has previously been the chair of the Dublin 12 Women’s action group and the Rape Crisis Centre in Dublin.

Lorraine founded Muslim Sisters of Eire, an organisation with the primary objective of integration, poverty relief, breaking down stereotypes, and the provision of support to those in need. MSOE’s longest-running and ongoing project is the feeding of the homeless outside the GPO every Friday of the year- rain, hail or shine. Lorraine is currently the chair of the Muslim Sisters of Eire.  The organisation has appeared on TV and radio shows, in order to raise awareness about Islam and the issues of the Irish Muslim community.

Mavis Ramazani

Mavis is a multi-award winner in the area of Community, Justice, Integration and Inclusion for her activism and advocacy for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland.

A single mother of two, she is one of the founders of Cooking for Freedom, a group of asylum seeker women in Direct Provision hostels in Ireland, who are raising awareness about the lack of ability for asylum seekers to cook for themselves and their families. She is an advocate for change in how international protection applicants are treated while accommodated at government facilities while going through the process. Mavis is a Refugee Community builder on the ground, supporting adults and children by responding to challenges they face while waiting for the decision on their international protection application, by being a resource, information provider, friend, servant and leader.

She is a personal mentor to women in their employment and self-employment journey, consistently on the ground building communities that support each other, promoting the spirit of Ubuntu, and promoting acts of kindness.

Professionally she is the Project Officer working for the Irish Refugee Council, project managing the Integration from Day One Women Employment Program, engaging with businesses and advocating for inclusive employment opportunities.

This session will be moderated by Niamh Rooney of the Maynooth University Department of International Development.

You can find out more about the series and  book your place for its two other parts here.

For any questions and to find out more, please contact Aga at aga@comhlamh.org.