Comhlámh’s Legacy
- Member Groups have been at the heart of Comhlámh’s work for almost 50 years. Apartheid, debt, trade, pharmaceutical multinationals, FGM, the EU Common Agricultural Policy, CETA, ECT, the rights of people in the international protection system – many of these campaigns are ongoing today, through our Access to Medicines, Trade Justice, Justice 4 Palestine, Ireland Says Welcome, and Dympna Meaney Women’s Leadership Fund member groups.
- Shaping development education/Global Citizenship Education thinking and practice, with courses that have engaged many thousands of people and encouraged them to dig more deeply into: making meaning and connection through international development or volunteering experiences; working towards a more just future for all that starts from a place of compassion and critical inquiry; and strengthening and sustaining practice as global educators.
- Building ecosystems of care for development workers, volunteers and migrant solidarity responders through debriefing, workshops, and resources that support resilient practices and cultures. From our original Coming Home weekends through to our Working for a Better World psychosocial resources, Comhlámh has always placed great importance on nurturing sustainable systems of care, for individuals, networks, and organisations.
- Influencing national and international policy and practice through initiatives like our Put Children First: End Orphanage Care and Volunteering campaign and campaigns on trade justice and equitable access to medicines. With partners across Europe and the Global South, we helped to shape the EU’s humanitarian aid volunteering programme; and we are ongoing contributors to the Global Volunteering Standard.
- Supporting public discussion and reflection on the complex, interdependent and unequal world of which we are part. Our First Wednesday conversation series has been running for decades, providing a unique space where contributors from across the Global South and Global North come together. Through their reflections and chats, they encourage and inspire audiences to consider issues of justice, solidarity and connection.
50 Years of Comhlámh
In 2025, Comhlámh marked 50 years of solidarity in action, a legacy rooted in activism, learning, and global justice. This anniversary year was a chance to pause, look back with gratitude, and celebrate the people and movements that have shaped Comhlámh across five decades.
Visit a dedicated page where we’ve compiled highlights from the year: Comhlámh in Stories, our anniversary speech, photo galleries from three anniversary events, and two videos created to honour the journey, including a shared “160 Years of Solidarity” celebration with our friends at Afri and VSI. We hope these memories spark reflection, connection, and renewed energy for the work ahead.
Learn More
Our Story
Annual Reports
GET INVOLVED
Become a member
Join the growing Comhlámh community of like-minded people interested in activism.
Join our groups
Join us as a Member and get involved in one of our groups active on global and social justice issues.
Support Comhlámh
Discover how you or your organisation can support our work for social justice, global equality, and lasting positive change.