Avila Kilmurray is co-founder of the Foundations for Peace Network (FFP) – a peer-led network of local community-based organisations working in divided societies.  She has wide experience of peace building, refugee protection and migrant rights. 

Avila will share her insights of working within the community sector during the Troubles and will discuss her book Community Activism in a Contested Society: The Story of Northern Ireland (Peter Lang, 2017). 

The Fireside Chat series is student-led and is organised by Mitchell Institute PhD students Allely Albert and Hanna Oberdorfer.  The “Fireside Chat” is a reference to American history and politics, and also acts as a tribute to Senator George J. Mitchell. 

The Fireside Chats allow both staff and students to casually present their research to the community in a social setting.  One of the key aims is to provide a platform to showcase the interdisciplinary research going on across the Institute and to enable networking for postgraduate students and researchers, at a range of career stages, across the Faculty and QUB. 

The events are free and all QUB staff and students are invited to attend.  Places are offered on a first-come-first served basis.  Light refreshments will be provided.