Council launches community scheme with Donegal Travellers Project
A cross-community project launched by the Donegal Travellers Project in partnership with Donegal County Council’s PEACEPLUS partnership will make a “positive impact across the county,” said a councillor.
A cross-community project launched by the Donegal Travellers Project in partnership with Donegal County Council’s PEACEPLUS partnership will make a “positive impact across the county,” said a councillor.
The ‘Diversity in Decision Making’ project, working under the theme ‘Celebrating Cultural Diversity,’ aims to support inclusive leadership, cross-community engagement, and cultural understanding in Donegal. The programme will be managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.
It aims to foster a more peaceful and cohesive society by promoting the participation of minority groups, including Travellers and Roma, in local decision-making and public life.
The initiative will provide 265 participants with 15 hours of intercultural, anti-racism and diversity-aware training. Ten cross-community and cross-border events will take place throughout the project’s two-year lifespan, building bridges across cultural divides.
Guests at the launch included Senator Eileen Flynn, the first Traveller to be elected to the Seanad, and human rights advocate, Francine Blaché-Breen.
Speaking at the launch event at Letterkenny’s Radisson Hotel, Siobhán McLaughlin, the Project Manager with Donegal Travellers Project, said: “This project is about creating real, lasting change. It is about ensuring that voices from all communities are not just heard but valued in the spaces where decisions are made.
“We’re so proud to work with Donegal’s communities to build leadership, promote equality, and support a future where everyone belongs.”
The chairman of the Donegal PEACEPLUS Partnership, Donegal County Councillor Paul Canning, commented: “The Diversity in Decision Making project is a cornerstone of our work under the Celebrating Cultural Diversity theme. It
“It brings forward a practical, community-led approach to peacebuilding, inclusivity, and leadership development. We are proud to support a future where everyone belongs.”