Dear members,

The inaugural Global Irish Economic Forum will be held in Dublin from 18-20 September this year.

The primary purpose of the Forum, which is an initiative of the Irish Government, will be to explore how the Irish, at home and abroad, and those with a strong interest in Ireland, can work together to contribute to Irish efforts at economic renewal and to build new connections between Ireland and the global community.

The Forum is described first and foremost as a national effort of outreach to and engagement with the Diaspora. Over two hundred participants have been invited from around the world.

The Forum will take the form of working groups, with each group discussing a separate economic theme, including topics such as: 'Ireland - the innovation island'; 'Promoting brand Ireland through our global cultural profile'; and 'Ireland's image abroad: what is it now; how could it be improved; and what role can new media play?'.  

I and my fellow Irish Business Association board members Mark McCormack and Colm McCarthy have been invited to join the event.

We feel that this is a superb opportunity for the Irish Business Association to contribute to Ireland's national effort, and we are keen to ensure that the ideas and views of the Association's membership are well represented.

In order to prepare for the Forum, we will be holding an informal discussion/brainstorm with members on Thursday, 13th August at 8pm, at the Claymore Room, Tanglin Club.

We would be delighted if you could attend and contribute on the above topics, or any other initiatives which you feel may be relevant. In particular, we are interested in exploring practical ways in which Ireland can learn from the Singapore experience. We are also interested to hear specific ideas on how individuals, or the Irish Business Association collectively, could contribute to the stated objective of “economic renewal and building new connections between Ireland and the global community.”

As places are limited to 20 people on a first-come first-served basis, please email Roisin Mills at ed@irishbusinessassociation.com if you would like to attend.