In partnership with the MME ThinkTank and the ESRC Festival Of Social Science, on the 19^th November 2021 an event was held to explore a gap that we identified from a mapping of academic research produced in NI universities earlier that year. The event was called ‘Insight and Intersections: Ethnic minorities’ and Migrants’ relations with the environment’, and was open to public registrations, with over 70 registrations.

The hybrid event brought together individuals, community groups, civil society organisations, policymakers and researchers to discuss the ways migrant and minority ethnic members of NI society:

• make proactive contributions to activism and philanthropy locally and globally about environmental concerns;

• engage in good environmental practices for the purposes of wellbeing, enterprise and environmental justice;

• share insights from those who are in/directly impacted by environmental issues, including migration from global climate change; access, participation and exploitation within agriculture, particularly in terms of how those relations are affected by Brexit, the hostile environment, and the purchase of land in a context where farms are often inherited.

Contributors included Eileen Chan-Hu (Facilitator), with speakers and presenters including Dr Dina Belluigi (Queen’s University Belfast), Dr Christopher Stange (Consulate General for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Ian Campbell and Darlene Causing (Ten Foundations; Philippine Community), Anna Clarke (International Association for Communiuty Development), Darren Ferguson (Beyond Skin), Dr Roxana Barbulescu (Leeds University), Rio Del Mar (Charo) Lanao Madden and Izy Boyd (Mid UlsterZero Waste) , and Dr Ulrike M Vieten, Dr Drew Mikhael, and Dr Timofey Agarin (all Queen's University Belfast).

It is hoped that from this more research and partnerships will grow, to explore these relations.

Watch the video here:

Dr Dina BELLUIGI

School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work