The Clinton Centre in Enniskillen will be the venue on Wednesday 20th June (8pm) for the release of the Strategy document which looks at the needs and issues surrounding the immigrant community in Fermanagh.
The strategy is the culmination of six months' intensive work undertaken by the Migrant Information Education Unit Steering Committee which was established in December 2006.
Davy Kettyles, a founding member of the MIEU Steering Group said County Fermanagh was witnessing a period of phenomenal societal change.
"This phenomenon of inward migration by new communities from across the globe and, especially from our new EU member states in Eastern and Central Europe, is all the more pronounced and poignant, given the long and recent history of emigration from these shores to other parts of the World which held out hope of a better quality of life for those and their families who left."
Barney Devine and Jason Donaghy, also founding members of the Group explained that Northern Ireland was no longer a "bi-polar society".
"We are rapidly becoming a multi-cultural society, comprising in excess of some 60-plus nationalities who were born outside of Ireland".
Kate Mulligan, a native of Poland and prominent local member of the community said the purpose of the strategy was to address the challenges and opportunities that came with the immigration of new community members. "We want to enable and facilitate the genuine emergence of a community and society here in Fermanagh which is inclusive, welcoming and proud of its diversity. It is a fact that the more diverse a community and society is, the more vibrant, entrepreneurial and innovative it is. We need to grasp the potential that this change presents for the good of the community and economy", she stated. The MIEU Project Team extends a very warm welcome to the launch on Wednesday 20th June at 8pm in the Clinton Centre in Enniskillen to all statutory, voluntary and community organisations who have an interest and role to play in supporting the immigrant community in Fermanagh.
