2022 Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship Program Highlights

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Communications

OFFICIAL SEND-OFF BY H.E. AMBASSADOR DANIEL MULHALL

The 2022 Frederick Douglass Global Fellows began their program in  Washington D.C. before heading to Dublin, Ireland. The two-day orientation event in D.C. featured a Changemaker Workshop and an official visit to the residence of Daniel Mulhall,  Ambassador of Ireland to the United States.

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The Fellows joined the Ambassador at the Irish Embassy for tea, snacks, and lively conversation about their upcoming journey. Ambassador Mulhall sent the Fellows off with these words: “Develop a flare for flexibility, expand your interest in international affairs, and read journals. Peace does not come quickly but with continuing efforts.”

ADVENTURES BEGIN IN DUBLIN

The Fellows completed their first week of classes in Dublin at the Richmond Education and Event Centre. Built on a post-medieval site located in the heart of Dublin, the area teemed with rich history, allowing for the liveliness of the city to enrich the student learning experience.

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FOLLOWING IN DOUGLASS' FOOTSTEPS

Utilizing the Frederick Douglass Way walking tour map developed by renowned Douglass historian Dr. Christine Kinealy, the Fellows travelled by way of O'Connell Street to the Mansion House on Dawson Street — where in 1845 Frederick Douglass dined with the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Students took in the sights as they walked in Douglass' footsteps during the guided tour.

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HIKING THE VALLEY OF THE TWO LAKES

The Fellows embarked on a weekend hike through the glacier valley of Glendalough, County Wicklow. The day began with a forest picnic before students hiked along woodsy trails that led to a waterfall. Students enjoyed majestic views as they cooled off by splashing around in the water.

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THE FELLOWS JOURNEY TO NORTHERN IRELAND

The following week, the Fellows travelled from Dublin to the United Kingdom's Northern Ireland, where Frederick Douglass landed in the mid-19th century. They walked in the footsteps of Douglass himself, participating in lectures, walking tours, and site visits to gain a sense of the historical conflicts that have impacted Northern Ireland and the peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts that took hold there, against all odds.

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BUILDING CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN CORK

Programming during the third week of the Fellowship was centered on teaching the Fellows how to improve cross-cultural competencies. The students travelled to Cork, Ireland, where, in 1845, Frederick Douglass took to the lectern at the Temperance Festival to orate a series of lectures against slavery. The Fellows participated in walking tours which traced Douglass’ historic journey in Cork and visited Nano Nagle Place, a restored convent and museum named after Nano Nagle, an 18th century Irish nun who, like Douglass, devoted her life to serve the disenfranchised and restore justice.

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While in Cork, they dug deeper into the life of Frederick Douglass, hearing firsthand how he utilized his intercultural communication skills to excite a foreign community in the fight against oppression. During their visit at Nano Nagle Place, Fellows learned of the lifelong selflessness of Nano Nagle, and how she used her education and resources to empower others, a mission that continues to this day through the work of the Cork Migrant Centre at Nano Nagle Place — which cites Frederick Douglass as an inspiration for its mission.

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FAREWELL CEREMONY IN DUBLIN

The Fellowship concluded with a Farewell Ceremony hosted at the residence of Claire Cronin, the United States Ambassador to Ireland. The elegant affair offered the chance for Fellows to network with leaders of international exchange and share details about their time in Dublin

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The event was attended by officials from the United States Government; members of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs; representatives from FDGF-sponsor USIT; members of the CIEE Worldwide team, including President and CEO of CIEE Dr. James Pellow; and the great-great-granddaughter of Frederick Douglass, Nettie Washington Douglass, who closed the ceremony by encouraging the Fellows for their journey ahead:

“Just as my great-great-grandfather was transformed by the experiences he had in Ireland, I hope your lives have been changed by the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship and that you will be returning home with greater intercultural awareness and sustained passion to change our world for the better.”

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