Mayor launches youth-led exhibition at Guildhall
23 June 2026
The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Grace Uí Niallais, has officially launched an exhibition highlighting the stories of migrants in our communities, here and across Norther Ireland.
Wear Our Courage, a powerful youth-led exhibition will be taking place in the Guildhall all this week. Developed by the Barnardo’s Ubuntu Youth Voice Network, the showcasing of the exhibition is being supported by Council’s Good Relations Team which illustrates the experiences, resilience and aspirations of young people from sanctuary-seeking backgrounds.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor Uí Niallais praised the young people involved and welcomed the important contribution the project makes to building a more inclusive city and district.
“I am delighted to launch this Wear Our Courage exhibition which encourages us to look beyond stereotypes and misinformation and instead focus on understanding while offering compassion and empathy. I would like to say a huge well done to all the young people involved in this powerful project. They have shown great creativity and courage in sharing their experiences. I would encourage everyone to visit the exhibition and lets all work together to make our city and district a more welcoming and inclusive place for everyone,” she said.
Inspired by Refugee Week 2026’s theme, ‘Courage’, the exhibition features individually designed T-shirts that tell personal stories of courage, resilience and hope. Supported by Council’s Good Relations Team, the project aims to amplify the voices of sanctuary-seeking young people, providing a platform for them to share their experiences through creative expression and influence public perceptions around migration and inclusion.
Following its exhibition at the Guildhall, Wear Our Courage will be touring venues across the region, with the longer-term ambition of reaching audiences across the UK and beyond.
The Wear Our Courage exhibition is open to the public in the Guildhall from Monday 22nd June to Thursday 25th June 2026 and members of the public are encouraged to attend.