Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has been invited to Derry to hear directly from those of a minority ethnic background about their experiences of living in Northern Ireland. Two members of the North West Migrants Forum, 21-year-old Ibrahim Dandousha and 22-year-old Jordan Nutting, were in Belfast on Wednesday evening for the final event of a three-day programme to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Ibrahim is the North West Migrants Forum’s youngest board member and has been centrally involved in a number of projects that promote peace and reconciliation. Recently he was a key part of the Peace Summit, an event which examined the Good Friday Agreement 25 years after its signing and the peace process which has flowed from it.

Jordan Nutting has been another important influence within the Migrants Forum, most notably through his work on the Common Travel Area campaign which aims to ensure that everyone living, working and studying on the island of Ireland enjoys the same freedom of movement. In the past few months Jordan has begun volunteering as a youth worker with the Caw Youth Centre, an organisation that has helped shape the lives of thousands of young boys and girls over the years.

Two members of the North West Migrants Forum above, Ibrahim Dandousha (left) and Jordan Nutting (right), were in Hillsborough Castle, Belfast, on Wednesday night as part of a three-day event to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The two young men met several high profile politicians including Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris (pictured), serving British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former US President Bill Clinton and former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams. Among the issues the two men raised were the Racial Equality Strategy and ethnic monitoring.

During Wednesday evening’s dinner in Hillsborough Castle both young men got to meet several high profile politicians including serving British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former US President Bill Clinton. They also met Chris Heaton Harris and former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams.

North West Migrants Forum (above) member Ibrahim Dandousha with former US President Bill Clinton in Belfast on Tuesday night.

Ibrahim and Jordan used the opportunity to raise issues facing the North’s minority ethnic communities including the Government’s Racial Equality Strategy and ethnic monitoring.

Ibrahim said, “We got to meet many people and Chris Heaton Harris listened and showed great interest in the work the North West Migrants Forum does.
“He was very nice and was very keen to hear what we had to say. We told him of the challenges so many young people are facing and he seemed genuinely interested in what we had to say.
I told him that the next time he is in Derry he should come to the Forum and meet members and the management and see the work that goes on there.
It was a good conversation and I do feel he took on board what we had to say.”

North West Migrants Forum member Ibrahim Dandousha all smiles with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson enjoying a glass of wine and a chat with North West Migrants Forum member Ibrahim Dandousha.

Former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams was also in attendance at Tuesday’s night’s dinner to mark 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

The North West Migrants Forum will now send a formal letter of invitation to the Secretary of State inviting him to Derry.