Derry pair meet political leaders to discuss issues facing migrants

21-year-old Ibrahim Dandousha and 22-year-old Jordan Nutting met 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. 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.

“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.”

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.

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