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The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, and the Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon, today announced the allocation of €1.18 million in funding to 30 development education organisations working throughout Ireland.

Announcing the funding, the Tánaiste stated:

“I am announcing an allocation of €1.18 million to organisations working to bring quality development education to a wide audience in a variety of settings – the classroom, the university, the youth group and the community group.  This is an increase of €100,000 over the development education funding provided in 2017. 

Target 4.7 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals calls on states to provide education to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. Development education strengthens the understanding of global dimensions of the SDGs and is critical to achieving the transformative change that defines the Goals. This funding will support projects and programmes that will empower people to analyse and challenge the root causes and consequences of global hunger, poverty and injustice.”

Minister Cannon went on to say:

“The Irish Aid Development Education strategy 2017 – 2023 sets out our ambition for development education in Ireland over the coming years. The annual grants funding is vital for the organisations working on the ground making the strategy and the SDGs real for people.  The organisations provide a space for members of the public to explore what it means to be an active global citizen and to fight for a fairer and more sustainable future for all the world‘s citizens. The projects create a stronger community of people who are aware of their role as global citizens”.