Theme: Crossroads

As we resist, shape, and embrace change, in our environment, society, economy and culture it’s exciting to reflect upon the new directions and transitions ahead. Differences, decisions, opportunities and challenges will abound. How will science, politics, media, commerce, sports, education, agriculture or the arts respond and evolve?re we going?

National Opera House
High St
Ferrybank south
Wexford, Wexford, Y35 FEP3
Ireland

Caoimhe Butterly

IRISH PEACE ACTIVIST

Caoimhe Butterly worked for 15 years with social justice, accessible primary health-care and human rights projects with women community organisers, indigenous and refugee communities in Latin America and the Middle East. She has spent the past years involved in refugee, undocumented and migrant support initiatives in Ireland, Greece, Lebanon and Calais. She has a MA in Development Studies and is presently doing post-graduate training in Systemic Psychotherapy. She makes short documentary films, one of which, 'The Border' won the 2016 ICCL Human Rights Documentary award.

Colm Mac Con Iomaire

COMPOSER / FIDDLE PLAYER

Colm Mac Con Iomaire grew up in Dublin in an Irish-speaking household, with a close connection to Galway’s Connemara Gaeltacht. Music was always part of his life, from sean nós singing to classical piano. These contrasting languages, places and music styles have left a mark on the fiddle player’s musical style playing with both rock bands and contemporary Irish music groups. As well as performing, the Dublin musician scores theatre, television and film soundtracks and produces his own solo work. Taking listeners on a journey, his solo offerings are rooted in old culture and acknowledge the value of creating space for the new.

Dil Wickremasinghe

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH BROADCASTER

Dil Wickremasinghe has one vision and that is to create an inclusive and equal Ireland where all residents can live a fuller and more authentic life. She is a Social Justice and Mental Health broadcaster and journalist and presents her weekly podcast “Sparking Change with Dil” on the Head Stuff Podcast Network. For a decade she presented the award winning weekly programme “Global Village” on Newstalk 106-108. In addition Dil is also a regular contributor on RTE, TV3 and print media.

Dr. Emmanuel Reynaud

Biologist / Knight of the Palmes Academiques

Emmanuel designed and coordinated a unique imaging suite on the Schooner Tara for a circumnavigation of the Earth (2009-2012) and edited a book on "Imaging Marine Life". He has been honoured by the French Government for his works and is a Knight of the Palmes Academiques. He is working on improving ecological imaging of endangered ecosystems, introducing disruptive technologies in biological science from 3D bio-printing to virtual reality approaches and studying the amazing invertebrates made in glass by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka between 1863 and 1890. More recently, he developed the Printastic Project to address the problem of marine litter using a combination of policy changes, improved packaging design and higher quality recycling strategy in collaboration with the Irish Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government and the Rapid Foundation.

Linda Sheridan

Mindful meditation coach / poet

Linda is a mindful meditation coach that has spent her entire working life in the corporate private sector working for a multinational chemical company. Linda is a philanthropist with a keen focus on humanity and social responsibility, more recently a poet and spoken word artist. Charity plays a huge part in Linda's life. She is a charity event coordinator, a committee member responsible for the running of Wexford's Able Disable club and a family support guide with Chernobyl Aid Ireland supporting families taking children from orphanages in Belarus on the rest and recuperation program here in Ireland. Linda also has vast experience in this area after inviting her now adopted son to Ireland on the program at the age of 23. Linda will be sharing her unique view on socially accepted behaviour and finishing with a powerful self composed piece of spoken word.

Peter Sheekey

Founder of THE INTERCULTURAL STORYTELLING PROJECT (ISP)

For the past fifteen years, Peter has been a researcher and practitioner in the field of second language learning for refugees and migrants in Ireland. His recent doctoral research focussed on the lived experiences and social barriers facing these border-crossers both in learning environments and in wider social settings. On foot of these studies, he has set up a socially-oriented language school in Dublin which deals with the learner as a whole person. Also, he has developed the Intercultural Storytelling Project which brings together members of local and these new communities to share, co-author and publish their lived experiences in order to build bridges between them and foster greater social inclusion for the so-called ‘New Irish’.

Roie Galitz

International Wildlife Photographer

Our planet is changing as we speak - its climate, structure and life on it are transforming, fast. Natural habitats are disappearing and our most precious wildlife is in danger. Are we aware of what is happening around us in this crucial times? And can we make a difference before it is too late? In this talk, Roie Galitz, a renowned wildlife photographer and Greenpeace Mediterranean ambassador, will share endangered animals’ stories, as seen through his lens. Join him on thrilling adventures in the world’s most remote places, discover the secrets behind some of his greatest shots and most exciting moments in the wild, listen to inspiring stories and learn the importance of environmental awareness in this point in time.

Yusuf Omar

Co-founder of Hashtag Our Stories

usuf Omar is Co-founder of Hashtag Our Stories, former CNN Senior Social Media Reporter on Snapchat and former Mobile Editor at the Hindustan Times in India where he empowered 750 journalists to tell stories with their phones. He has been a foreign correspondent with just his phone since 2010 and covered the Syrian civil war. At Hashtag Our Stories, he’s empowering mobile video storytelling communities around the world, creating shows in every language.