Dublin City of Sanctuary believes that migrants, refugees and asylum seekers should be provided with opportunities to learn how to protect their rights and navigate the political system in Ireland
“The Sanctuary in Politics course gave me the opportunity to learn about the political system in Ireland and how to get involved. It gives me a sort of sense of hope and belonging as it opens a whole wide world to me, to meet other people and make friends and connections.It gives me a sense of being empowered with knowledge, skills and ideas.”
Abdulai, Sierra Leone
City of Sanctuary Dublin team promote political participation in the greater Dublin Area. The first Virtual Sanctuary in Politics Course is taking place in 2021 via Zoom.
Since 2016, three rounds of Sanctuary in Politics have taken place in Dublin. Many well known activists started their journey in politics with the Dublin City of Sanctuary in Politics course. This interactive programme includes training and practice in public speaking, an introduction to politics in Ireland, and intensive media training from print and live media experts.
As well as the popular Sanctuary in Politics course, we have undertaken campaigns to improve lives through politics. In September 2017, City of Sanctuary Dublin organized the ‘Asylum Seekers Right to Work: Implementing the Supreme Court ruling’ conference. Many stakeholders including legal experts, academia, employers as well as refugees and asylum seekers joined us to share their thoughts on the need and benefit of right to work for asylum seekers.
City of Sanctuary Dublin also ran a Migrant Voting Registration campaign in 2019, to raise awareness of migrant’s voting right in local elections in Ireland. We provided training to voter registration; worked with local election candidates in electoral areas to distribute thousands of voter registration forms; made a promotion video; and paid to promote migrant candidates on our Faceboo
Tian Yu Lloyd
Tian Yu Lloyd joined the City of Sanctuary movement in 2016, after participating in the first Sanctuary in Politics short course. Tian is a believer in promoting mutual understanding and goodwill among locals and newcomers. She’s also a board member of INAR and a member of the University of Sanctuary Ireland Committee.
Due to the impact of the global pandemic, Sanctuary in Politics 2021 came back on Zoom, like many other training courses. While we miss the human interaction, we also very much appreciate the flexibility zoom based training has allowed us
The fifth and final session was on political and social campaigning in Ireland, and how refugees, asylum seekers and migants might make their voices heard through such campaigns. The main speaker was Noel Whelan, lawyer, newspaper columnist and one of
Dublin’s second Sanctuary in Politics course had a flying start on Saturday 25th February, with over 30 students from 20 countries gathering in Trinity College Dublin for an exciting and inspiring morning together. The group was eager and ready to
On April 16th, students of the groundbreaking Sanctuary in Politics course celebrated their graduation with heartfelt speeches, cultural performances and delicious food. Representatives of supporting organisations stopped by, as did seasoned politician Eamon Ryan. It was the last of a
Fresh off the Sanctuary in Politics course, on March 15th a group of seasoned and budding advocates paid a visit to the Oireachtas building in Dublin – which houses Ireland’s legislature. The trip took place in the aftermath of Ireland’s recent elections,
City of Sanctuary Dublin launched the Irish Sanctuary in Politics programme on Saturday 6th February with a high-charged and enthusiastic atmosphere that left everyone buzzing and eager for more. About thirty people, mostly refugees, asylum seekers and migrants from four
