Donegal’s first Asian cultural event declared “successful” community celebration

The Donegal Intercultural Platform celebrated Asian heritage at Trinity Hall, Letterkenny, by hosting the first-ever Asian Voices in Donegal - Cultural, Creativity and Community event.

Letterkenny-born Jia Yee Look, who organised the event, declared the day as “very successful.”

She said: “We aimed to bring the Asian communities together, but also to share Asian culture here as well.

“Ireland has always been really welcoming to migrants and made it possible to set up a life here, so I wanted to share with them our culture. 

“It was the first Asian focused community event that we have done in Donegal. A joint cultural celebration showcasing the richness of Asian communities and their interaction with Irish and other local cultures. It was a joyful day of creativity, connection, and community - one we hope will inspire many more.”

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“We had music from a Dublin-based Chinese traditional instrument players, Lan Yin Min Yue. They played the Guzheng and Pipa, and the Bamboo flute. We had a local Japanese calligraphy artist who demonstrated her artwork. We had several speakers who came in and represented different parts of Asia, as it is a broad space.”

Explaining the impact of Asian communities, Jia said: “Asian communities are not new to Donegal. Many people will already know Asian neighbours, colleagues, small business owners, or young people growing up with mixed heritage. This event built on those connections by using culture and creativity to deepen mutual understanding.”

Praising the role of Donegal Intercultural Platform in assisting with preparing the event, Jia commented: “I wanted to put forward this event, and they were really good and made it happen. 

“It is important to be able to have a space to share our culture. There is a lot going on now, and to be able to do events like this, to show there is a creative way to show diversity in Ireland, and to show mutual understanding.”