Author: Chloe Hurley (postgraduate student; Dept of Sports, Leisure and Childhood; MTU)

On the 9th of April 2025, I (Chloe Hurley) attended a seminar in Dublin City University (DCU), representing OMEP Ireland alongside the OMEP Ireland president, Muireann Ranta, and OMEP Ireland committee member, Taylor Armstrong. The seminar was entitled ‘Early Childhood at the heart of a sustainable and fair future: Rethinking policies and systems for the Post-2030 Agenda’. During this seminar, we heard from the world OMEP President: Mercedes Mayol Lassalle, who spoke about Early Childhood Care and Education at the centre of a sustainable future and, as Mercedes powerfully highlighted, present: Children are not just to be seen as future citizens, but respected as citizen living in the present. Mercedes recognised the steps that have been taken to advance sustainability, specifically in terms of supporting children’s rights, and the next steps in this fight. We also heard from our OMEP Ireland president about these issues, specifically in the Irish context, through a panel discussion.

After the seminar, we engaged in an invaluable discussion regarding the partnership between OMEP world and OMEP Ireland. During this discussion, I got to hear some interesting perspectives and shared my own personal experiences working in the ECCE sector and as a Masters student. This interaction provided me with immense professional insights and garnered me crucial learning experiences, particularly in relation to partnerships between organisations, sustainability, and children’s rights.

Consequently, this experience allowed me to develop both personal and professional skills, which I will carry with me into my future career, including interpersonal, communication, and organisation skills. I hope to attend many more seminars and conferences representing the OMEP Ireland committee.