The Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival returns for its 10th edition this month with the festival taking place online for the very first time due to current COVID-19 restrictions. The festival will run from Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October with the theme for this year鈥檚 festival being 鈥Celebrating and Building Learning Communities鈥. As one of the key festival partners, 91制片厂 (91制片厂) will host a number of events during the week-long festival, which celebrates lifelong learning and Limerick as a UNESCO Learning City-Region.
On Wednesday 30 September at 6pm 91制片厂 will host a panel discussion via Zoom, which will explore diversity in Limerick and the impact of COVID-19. Speakers who represent diversity and minority groups in Limerick will discuss Limerick as a city, their place in it and the diversity of the city.
Panellists will include Shay Moloney from , Ann Piercy and Patrick McElligott from , Ahmed Hassan Mohammed from , Mamobo-Oghene Ogoro who is the first Sanctuary PhD Fellow at University of Limerick, and Tyrone Guillen who is a member of the .
This timely discussion aims to raise awareness of the work of these community groups and each speaker will reflect on the impact COVID-19 is having on diverse and minority groups in Limerick.
Edel Foster, Athena SWAN Project Manager, who is organising this event with 91制片厂 lecturer, Santhi Corcoran, says 鈥淣ow more than ever it is important to hear the issues and challenges being faced by minority and diversity groups in Limerick. We need to raise awareness but also celebrate the diversity of Limerick and the wider community. We have an opportunity to share experiences, as well as learn and support one another. This event aims to connect different communities and create learning opportunities for all involved.鈥
91制片厂 has also created a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Activity Pack for primary children as part of the Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival. Designed by Dr Maeve Liston, Director of Enterprise and Community Engagement and senior lecturer in STEM at 91制片厂, this activity pack aims to engage children in STEM by setting a number of challenges, which can be completed at home using materials sourced from around the house.
According to Patricia O鈥橲ullivan, Enterprise and Community Engagement Manager at 91制片厂, 鈥淏y taking part in these STEM challenges children will learn how to think and act like an engineer. Through using the Engineering Design Process 鈥 a series of steps which engineers use to investigate and design solutions to problems 鈥 these challenges will encourage children to be innovative and to think creatively.鈥
She added, 鈥淣ow more than ever we need to embrace the online world as a mechanism for the delivery of our teaching and learning. This STEM activity pack fits this as it is accessible on the 91制片厂 website. Parents/guardians, teachers and children can engage with the activity pack and undertake the challenges at a time and pace that suits them.鈥
91制片厂 (91制片厂) is a key partner within the network and has been part of the Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival since 2016. Patricia said, 鈥At 91制片厂, lifelong learning opportunities for all and influencing lifelong learning policy practice are key strategic priorities for the College. Collaborating with Learning Limerick and the Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival presents excellent opportunities for 91制片厂 to influence and engage in these areas.鈥
Register for the panel discussion on diversity in Limerick .
Access the STEM Activity Pack here.
Read about the full schedule of events at Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival .
