CHILDREN living in the US will be able to visit Ireland next summer as part of an educational trip to learn about their Irish heritage.
High school students aged 15-17 will be invited to attend the pilot Irish roots summer camp programme, which will offer them a chance to discover more about the country’s history.
Minister for Diaspora Affairs Jimmy Deenihan launched the initiative on the second day of the Global Irish Economic Forum on Saturday.
“The pilot summer camp programme will provide younger members of the Irish Diaspora with the opportunity to visit Ireland on a short immersive visit in the summer of 2016,” he said.
“The programme will be primarily educational in nature and designed to encourage students to develop a deeper connection with Ireland.”
The teenagers will have the opportunity to visit rural and urban areas during the trip, which aims to strengthen Ireland’s links to its Diaspora.
The scheme, which will be launched by the Department of Foreign Affairs, could be expanded to include children living in countries outside the US if the pilot is successful.
Further details on the summer camp programme will be announced next month.
The Minister also announced the launch of the Global Irish Media Fund on Saturday, which will support news organisations and journalists to cover stories about the Irish abroad.
“The successes and the challenges of our emigrants, both recent and distant, are of interest to Irish people and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade wishes to facilitate more reporting of these stories,” he said.
HAVE YOU SAY: Would you send your child to summer camp in Ireland to learn more about their Irish roots? Please comment below or email [email protected]
