80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World

15/10/2026

Join us in Bray tomorrow for a free walking tour through stories of human rights activism, resistance and solidarity.

Field Notes on Human Rights Activism from Bray, led by 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World, is taking place as part of the Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival 2026. Smashing Times

Across seven stops, the walk will connect places around Bray with stories including the Anti-Apartheid movement, Aboriginal solidarity campaigns and more recent climate action.

📅 Friday 16 October
🕦 11.30am–1pm
📍 Starting at Bray Town Hall
🏁 Finishing at Bray Seafront
🎟️ Free

Participants are welcome to bring their own stories and reflections to the walk.

👉 Book your free place: https://smashingtimes.ie/event/walking-tour-field-notes-on-human-rights-activism-from-bray/

02/10/2026

Yesterday, 80:20’s Education and Research Officer, Ciara Regan, joined the Annual Session of EuroMed Rights’ regional Working Group on Women’s Rights, Gender Justice and Individual Freedoms.

Ciara presented to around 26 delegates from across the Euro-Mediterranean region, including Lebanon, Tunisia, Palestine, Morocco, Egypt, France, Denmark and Italy.

Her presentation asked: “What does global data tell us about inequality and the rollback underway?”

Drawing on research for the women’s rights chapter of the forthcoming 8th edition of “80-20 Development in an Unequal World”, she explored what the evidence tells us about persistent inequality and the erosion of rights.

These questions sit at the heart of the Working Group’s discussions, which cover the anti-gender backlash, online gender-based violence, LGBTQ+ criminalisation and persecution, repression and shrinking civic space.

The data matters, but so does what we do with it. By connecting evidence with education, discussion and solidarity, we can better recognise injustice and consider how to challenge it.

Thank you to EuroMed Rights and everyone involved for creating space for these necessary conversations. See Ara

19/09/2026

One week on, the messages from Dublin’s streets continue to resonate.

Last Saturday, 12 September, the 80:20 team, together with our chairperson Siobhán Condron, joined thousands of people demonstrating during Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland.

Looking back, what struck us was how many struggles came together in the same space: solidarity with Palestine, opposition to war and militarism, climate justice, equality and the defence of human rights and international law.

Our Education Projects Officer, Mairead Redmond, carried a handmade poster with a simple but fundamental message: “Human Rights Apply to Everyone.”

The demonstration reminded us that these issues are not separate. They are connected by questions of power: who holds it, whose voices are heard and who lives with the consequences of political decisions.

At 80:20, we believe global citizenship education should help us recognise those connections, question inequality and move from awareness towards action.

Human rights are not selective. Solidarity cannot be selective either.

08/09/2026

There is no shortage of information.

The harder question is what we do with it.

For International Literacy Day, we’re looking at literacy beyond the words on the page: at the skills we need to question information, recognise manipulation, look for evidence and understand the world behind the story.

Our latest article revisits Facts Matter and Questions Matter, and why both remain so relevant in a time of misinformation, algorithms and rapidly changing media.

Because facts matter. Questions matter. And how we use both matters too.

👉 Read the article: https://8020.ie/2026/09/08/reading-beyond-the-words-why-facts-and-questions-matter/

03/09/2026

What made our first walking tour in Bray work was the people who joined it.

Their recollections and local knowledge turned the morning into a conversation, reminding us that heritage is not only found in archives, monuments or plaques. It also lives in communities and in the meanings people attach to familiar places.

Thank you to everyone who took part, to Tony Daly for guiding the walk and to Heritage Week for including it in this year’s programme.

Which place in Bray holds an important story for you? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Explore more about our work: https://8020.ie/

The Heritage Council

17/08/2026

Join us tomorrow morning to discover Bray’s stories of resistance, solidarity and human rights activism.

This free, seven-stop Heritage Week walking tour will be led by Tony Daly from 80:20.

📅 Tuesday 18 August, 11am–12:30pm
📍 Bray Town Hall → Bray Seafront

Register by emailing [email protected] with the subject “Walking Tour”.

13/07/2026

On 17 June, 80:20 joined The DICE Project’s Céim, Curriculum and Change GCE Conference at Maynooth University.

Tony Daly presented on human rights education in a time of global crisis, while Mairead Redmond joined Claire Glavey for a cross-curricular session on fairness and the environment.

Colm Regan, writer for the Times of Malta, co-editor of the forthcoming 8th edition of 80:20 Development in an Unequal World and former coordinator of 80:20 was also there and shared his knowledge and ideas.

Mairead also shared how DevelopmentEducation.ie can help educators find resources, develop lesson plans and bring global issues into the classroom.

Thank you to the DICE Project for a valuable day of learning and exchange.

Discover more about 80:20’s work in human rights and Global Citizenship Education: 8020.ie/changing-systems

03/07/2026

What kind of education do we need in a world marked by crisis and inequality?

On 24 June, 80:20’s Education Projects Officer Mairead Redmond attended the Irish Development Education Association - IDEA Annual Conference 2026, Education for Liberation: GCE in an Age of Crisis.

The conference created supportive space for educators, activists and organisations to listen, question and reflect on Global Citizenship Education, solidarity, lived experience, Palestine, resistance, and the role of education in challenging injustice.

In our latest blog, we share a short piece from the conference and what it means for 80:20’s ongoing work in development education.

Read it here: https://8020.ie/2026/07/02/education-is-never-neutral-8020-at-idea-conference-2026/

What does education for liberation look like in an age of crisis? 80:20 attended IDEA Conference 2026 and joined the conversation.

25/06/2026

A huge thank you to Salesforce Ireland for choosing to support 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World through this year’s North BDR Open tennis charity tournament.

Held on 5 June, the event brought together Salesforce teams and supporters for a brilliant day of tennis, good humour, teamwork and fundraising.

Tony Daly joined the tournament with the Irish team, and 80:20 also brought along something special for the day: tennis balls stencilled with each 80:20 equation.

Congratulations to the Swedish team, who won the tournament, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who organised, played, donated and supported the event. 🎾

Read more: https://8020.ie/2026/06/15/salesforce-north-bdr-open-supports-8020/

15/06/2026

A big thank you to Benita Kalala, who joined the 80:20 team on work placement from City of Dublin FET College as part of her Digital Business Skills course.

Over the past few weeks, Benita brought curiosity, energy and a real willingness to learn into the team, supporting a range of activities across 80:20’s work.

It has been great working with young people whose skills, values and outlook connect so naturally with 80:20’s vision for a fairer, more just and equal world.

For us, work placements are a way to introduce more people to the ideas, questions and action behind our work, and they also help us grow our impact through fresh perspectives, new skills and shared learning.

Thank you, Benita. It has been lovely having you with us!