Refugee voices to the fore at Mary Robinson conference session in Mayo
Refugee perspectives were brought to the forefront of the Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference 2026 through a breakout session on food security, displacement and care, organised by the Mayo Local Authority Integration Team (Mayo LAIT) in conjunction with Laura Dixon, Climate Action Coordinator with Mayo County Council.
Held under the conference theme "Food and Care: A Meitheal for Our Time", the session - titled Food Security and Care in the Displacement and Climate Change Context - formed part of the Justice and Injustice strand of the conference and drew strong engagement from attendees across the community, academic, policy and environmental sectors.
The session opened up discussion on how climate change, conflict, resource insecurity and displacement affect access to food, dignity and wellbeing, while also looking at the role of care, community cooperation and inclusive food systems in building resilience and cohesion.
Chaired by Dr Mark Garavan, a retired lecturer at Atlantic Technological University and author of "Compassionate Activism" and "Of Care", the discussion featured speakers with lived experience of displacement and migration: climate change activist and community development worker Mary Thebe, and journalist and media consultant Michael Minassie.
A central aim of the session was to elevate refugee voices, which remain underrepresented in public discourse and decision-making around food systems, climate action and community development.
Facilitating the discussion, Garavan reflected on the importance of care and empathy as a response to fear and division, drawing connections between contemporary displacement and Ireland's own history of famine and emigration.
Thebe, speaking of her experience in Zimbabwe, highlighted the profound relationship between people, land and food, describing the ecological grief experienced when communities are separated from their homes and traditional food systems.
She spoke of disrupted seasonal food patterns, the growing distance between people and food production, and the importance of rebuilding communities through care and locally produced food.
Minassie shared insights from his experience as a journalist covering conflict and displacement, including the humanitarian crisis in Tigray.
He reflected on how food can be weaponised during conflict, and challenged participants to consider the true meaning of care beyond borders, communities and identities.
Feedback from attendees described the session as powerful, humbling and essential.
Participants spoke of the importance of creating more opportunities for authentic refugee stories to be heard, and reflected on the contrast between a narrative of care and one of fear and exclusion.
Many commented on the lasting impact of hearing directly from people with lived experience, noting that such perspectives are vital for informing policy and community responses to climate change, migration and food insecurity.
The session embodied the spirit of meitheal, the Irish tradition of collective effort and mutual support, demonstrating how listening, empathy and collaboration can help communities respond to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.