23/06/2026
What a meaningful afternoon at St Mary's Community Centre in Navan for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency World Refugee Day 2026!
The theme for Refugee Week in Ireland is "Courage", and it came through in every part of the event. Our CEO Tinu Achioya opened the afternoon with a warm welcome and noted that "Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the determination to keep going, to keep hoping, and to keep building a home in a new land. Today, we celebrate that courage in every person who walks through our doors", and we were honoured to hear from Councillor Yemi Adenuga, Inspector Mick Kearney (on behalf of Supt. Martina Noonan) for the An Garda Síochána, and the ever-energetic Dr. Daithí Ó Murchú. Each spoke powerfully about community, protection, and the resilience that deserves our recognition and respect.
The heart of the day belonged to our Stories of Strength speaker, Susan T. Mkhabela, who bravely shared her personal journey with honesty and grace. Her story reminded us that behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a life of courage.
Throughout the afternoon, we also enjoyed our Memories From Home activity, sent messages of courage across the globe, and marvelled at a beautiful community art exhibition by the Ukrainian Community and Integration & Wellbeing Meath celebrating the creativity of our members showcasing the creativity of our members.
We were also delighted to have our partners in attendance, including the Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT) of Meath County Council and the MABS - The Money Advice and Budgeting Service, whose ongoing support helps make this work possible.
As Councillor Yemi Adenuga so beautifully put it: "Behind every statistic is a human being, and behind every migration headline is a story of courage and resilience. There's only one race, the human race."
A huge thank you to Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Community Work Ireland our speakers, our volunteers, our partners, and everyone who came along to connect, listen, and celebrate together. Events like this remind us why this work matters.
Swipe through to see the faces, the stories, and the moments that made this day unforgettable!