The first meeting of a  potential working group, to explore the potential to establish a meaningful partnership to share learning on programme development in relation to cultural identity and youth engagement across Northern Ireland, The Republic of Ireland and Hawaii took place on 22 July. 

Involved in the discussions from Hawaii – Dr Brett Carey, Co-operation Ireland Future Leaders Programme Ambassador who is involved with the Friends of St Patrick in Hawaii, and recently awarded Irish Person of the Year 2021. A Representative from Congressman Kai Kahele’s office  https://www.kaikahele.com/meet-kai/.  Political Consultant Kekoa McClellan https://www.themcclellangroupllc.com/about. Holeka Inaba, the youngest County Council member in Kona who lives close geographically to the point of where Europeans first made contact with Hawaiians. Holeka recently was interviewed for this Belfast Media story: https://belfastmedia.com/hawaiian-representative-appeals-for-museum-to-repatriate-human-skulls. Cynthia Tai, Former International Criminal Court Trial Lawyer and transitional Justice expert. She has been very involved with efforts to save lives in the Sudanese civil war and is the Executive Director of the group Project Expedite Justice based in Kona https://www.projectexpeditejustice.org/. Matt McConnell, President of Friends of St. Patrick Hawaii and also a well know financial advisor.

Representatives from Co-operation Ireland Staff and Board also took part in the meeting – Peter Sheridan, CEO, Jim Clerkin, Chairman CI USA Board, CI Board Members Daithi O’Ceallaigh, Trevor Ringland and John Mullins, Terry O’Neill, Director of Events and Fundraising, Margaret Lucey, CI Future Leaders Programme Manager and Hannah Raden, CI Future Leaders Programme Youth Officer.

The agreement from the first meeting was the commitment from all to drive this forward and to explore the potential for an initial virtual youth exchange, but with further potential of internships or placements.