A seminar will take place in Donegal next week to discuss issues affecting migrant and minority ethnic women in the border region.

Issues affecting migrant, black and minority ethnic women living on both sides of the border will be explored at an upcoming “Women, Culture and Crossing the Borders” seminar, hosted by the PEACE IV Building Intercultural Communities (BIC) Project.

Women who are migrants or members of black and minority ethnic communities as well as other members of the public are invited to share stories, discuss struggles and celebrate identities at the seminar, which will be held on Wednesday the 13th of November, at an Grianán Hotel in Burt from 9.30am to 3.30pm, with lunch included.

“This seminar will be a fantastic opportunity for migrant and minority ethnic women, living both in the North and South, to come together to celebrate the richness of our diversity and explore some of the challenges we share”, said Francine Blaché Breen, BIC Project Community Development and Training Officer.

“Women on both sides of the border face many of the same issues in situations where their gender, migration status and ethnicity intersect. This is a very timely event considering the uncertainty in relation to the border, and I urge women from all communities to contact us to book a place”.

The seminar will feature a number of speakers and strategic planning amongst participants to address the issues raised. Discussion topics will include: border-related issues, such as Brexit and visas; experiences with An Garda Síochána and the PSNI; issues arising from ethnicity, religion, class, culture, domestic violence and housing.

The BIC Project is a collaboration between Intercultural Donegal (formerly Donegal Intercultural Platform) and Donegal Travellers Project.

Like other projects in Donegal County Council’s 5.5 million euro PEACE IV Action Plan, BIC is designed to promote a society where people from different backgrounds and traditions can enjoy living, learning and socialising together.

For more information about the “Women, Culture and Crossing the Borders” seminar or to book a place, either send an email with your name and phone number to BIC Project Worker Caoimhe Sweeney at caoimhebicproject@gmail.com or ring her on (086) 858 0298.

This project is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).