Maynooth alumna leads Ireland’s campaign to secure seat on UN Council

Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Professor Philip Nolan and President of the UN General Assembly Ambassador of Nigeria, Tijjani Bande

In June, Ireland was elected to the UN Security Council and will now take a seat on the 15-member body in 2021 and 2022. Ireland’s delegation was led by Maynooth alumna Geraldine Byrne Nason.

In the preceding months, as Ireland competed for a seat on the Council, the Irish Government invited over 20 UN Ambassadors from Africa, Asia and the Middle East to visit Ireland to discuss peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Maynooth University hosted the group for a day of workshops to discuss the challenges in building sustainable peace, drawing on Ireland’s lived experience of conflict resolution. Led by Ambassador Byrne Nason, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN, (BA 1980, MA 1981, LLD 2015), the group was joined by architects of the Good Friday Agreement, including Bertie Ahern and Mark Durcan. The visit also included the President of the UN General Assembly Ambassador of Nigeria, Tijjani Bande.