A Sense of Belonging – The Journey of 20 Years with IACI!
The Need – The Impact – The Community – The Continuity
February 21, 2025
@ The Civic, Tallaght
11 am to 12.30 pm
Panel Discussion & film screening
Free, but booking is required
The panel will explore what it takes to build and sustain a dynamic community initiative that nurtures a sense of belonging, equality, and respect across generations.
Yemi Ojo, Founder and CEO of IACI (Integration of All Children in Ireland) and Chair of SDMIF (South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum), alongside community guests, will guide the conversation, offering a rich narrative of fostering belonging and community in West Tallaght over the past 20 years.
The event will also include the screening of the short film Omozé, produced and directed by Pius Gabriel Ojo, an exploration of ‘belonging’ in second-generation young African Irish citizens.
A Sense of Belonging is a partnership between Mother Tongues Festival and IACI Youth. Commissioned by the Mother Tongues Festival 2025.
Meet the speaker
Yemi Ojo
Yemisi Ojo (Yemi Ojo) has dedicated 20 years to promoting social inclusion and empowering the community. In 2004, she launched a three-week annual social inclusion summer camp, offering an affordable alternative to mainstream camps for children aged 4 to 11. The camp has been a great success, fostering diversity and community spirit.
As Chairperson of the South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum (SDMIF), Yemi has strengthened the Forum’s structure, establishing its constitution, tax registration, and organising impactful events like the Know Your Rights Seminar and Africa Day Festival.
Yemi’s dedication has earned her accolades, including Tallaght Person of the Year (2007) and the Lord Mayor Unsung Heroes Award. She also founded IACI (Integration of All Children in Ireland), which won the South Dublin Community Award in 2008.
A mother of three, cultural awareness trainer, and motivational speaker, Yemi is fondly known as “Aunty Yemi” for her tireless commitment to inclusion.
Integration of All Children in Ireland (IACI)
Established in 2003 with the aim of supporting the integration needs of African children and their families now living in Ireland, the Integration of All Children in Ireland (IACI) aims to give young people the opportunity to dialogue on issues that affect them, to provide a platform for discussion and recommendations on cultural diversity, and to create awareness and understanding of different cultures.
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