The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland

Georgetown University’s Global Irish Studies Initiative, in association with the American University School of Public Affairs and the School of International Service, Ulster University, the Northern Ireland Bureau, the Washington Ireland Program, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland presented:

The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland

The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland IV was held on March 16, 2026 on the American University Campus.

The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland is a collaboration between American University’s School of Public Affairs, Georgetown University’s Global Irish Studies Program and Ulster University. Each year, in the midst of the festivities celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Washington, DC, the Washington Forum brings policymakers, practitioners, thought-leaders, scholars and students together to consider the state of the peace process in Northern Ireland and reflect on the opportunities and challenges ahead. On each occasion, we aim to offer a range of contemporary voices to help inform the conversation in the US about how people in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the UK more broadly understand and experience the ongoing peace process.

This year, we were very pleased to center the event on what Northern Ireland can teach us in this moment of division. The Forum involved three panel discussions centered on navigating divided societies, the multifaceted role of migrants from the island of Ireland in American history, and commemoration in divided societies. The event was opened by the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly, on behalf of the Executive of Northern Ireland.

View recordings from The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland (2025).

View recordings from The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland (2024).

View recordings from The Washington Forum on Northern Ireland (2023).