Friday- October 11 - Dupont Circle Hotel - 1500 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20036
8:00 AM-8:45 AM
Registration and Continental Breakfast & Networking
DuPont Circle Hotel, 1500 New Hampshire Ave NW
8:45 AM - 9:00 AM
Céad Míle Fáilte
Official Welcome by Steve Lenox, IN USA Chair & Aoife Delargy Lowe, IN DC Chair outlining conference agenda & objectives.
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Elevator Pitch - Who We Are & What We Want
Brief self-introduction by one representative from each chapter/organization present, highlighting special issues they face and what they hope to get from the conference.
9:30 AM - 10:10 AM
Irish-US Relations in Times of Change
Ambassador Daniel Mulhall, in conversation with Niamh King, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, reflects on his first two years at the helm of the Embassy of Ireland in Washington DC, the state of Irish-US relations and on what Brexit means for transatlantic ties.
10:10 AM – 10:50 AM
Protecting Peace – Congress’s Role in Safeguarding the Good Friday Agreement
Rep. Bruce Morrison, Co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee to Protect the Good Friday Agreement, in conversation with Suzanne Lynch, Irish Times, reflects on his career in Congress, work on the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the need to preserve those gains in the face of Brexit.
10:50 AM – 11:00 AM
Coffee Break
Photos with Keynote Speakers.
11:00 AM - 11:40 PM
Beyond Brexit – The Future of Transatlantic Trade, Tourism & Investment
Sean Davis, Enterprise Ireland, Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland, Seamus Carroll, IDA Ireland, & TBC, Invest Northern Ireland reflect on Ireland’s trade, investment & tourism relations with the US, what Brexit might mean for those relations and the role IN chapters can play in advancing Ireland and Northern Ireland’s economic objectives.
Moderator: Declan Kelly, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Ireland
11:40 PM - 12:20 PM
Chamber Music - Building Successful Business Networks
Kevin Dooley Kent, Irish American Business Chamber & Network, Conor Healy, the Cork Chamber of Commerce & Feargall Kenny, Digital Irish discuss their experience of building successful professional networks and the challenges of promoting transatlantic commerce.
Moderator: Mark Owens, Chair, Irish Network Cleveland
12:20 PM – 13:20 PM
Quinten Fottrell, in conversation with Isobel Murray, IN DC, reflects on his career as an acclaimed journalist, author and LGBT activist and discusses how Irish society has changed in recent years and what this means for Irish-America and US-Irish relations
Sponsored by the Northern Ireland Bureau.
13:20 PM – 14:00 PM
2020 Vision – What the Presidential Elections Mean for Transatlantic Relations
Tom Wright, Brookings & Ed Luce, Financial Times discuss political developments in Washington DC, 2020 elections & their implications for Irish-US and EU-US relations.
Moderator: Brian O’Donovan, RTE
14:00 PM - 14:40 PM
What Your Country Can Do for You & What You Can Do for Your Country - Shaping Ireland’s Diaspora Policy
Clodagh Boyle, Irish American Partnership, Paddy Meskell, Solas Nua & Cliona Doyle, Ireland Funds America discuss their approach to promoting Irish arts and delve into how we can use Ireland’s greatest asset, culture to maintain links to Ireland, build a strong diaspora community and engage IN members.
Moderator: Lillian Farrell, Cultural Counsellor, Embassy of Ireland
14:45-16:15
What Your Country Can Do for You & What You Can Do for Your Country - Shaping Ireland’s Diaspora Policy
In 2020, the Government of Ireland will publish a new Diaspora Policy, part of its commitment to double Ireland’s global impact by 2025. This interactive session will preview the results of initial consultations, with breakouts providing an opportunity for attendees to provide feedback on key issues. The session will be introduced & moderated by officials from the Embassy of Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
16:20 PM – 16:30 PM
Closing remarks
Steve Lenox & Aoife Delargy Lowe.
18:30 PM – 20:30 PM
Capitol Hill (Rayburn Building)
Irish on the Hill
Rayburn House Office Building (Gold Room, 2168)
45 Independence Ave SW
Sponsored by Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland & IDA Ireland
Welcome Remarks from: John McCarthy, Chief of Staff to Rep Brendan Boyle (D-PA) & Brendan Belair, Chief of Staff to Rep Doug Collins (R-GA)
Special Presentation to Norman Houston, former Director of the NI Bureau
Kelly's Irish Times - 20:45 PM
Post-reception drinks.