Ireland INC and the Washington Ireland Program partner successfully together to build peace and prosperity

Pictured: L-R Charles John O’Byrne (WIP Board Chair), Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan (Provost at Ulster University), Joe Kennedy III (Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs), Ian Hyland (President of Ireland INC) and Susan Hoffman (WIP Chair Emeritus) pictured at the WIP Autumn Reception in Washington DC (November 2023)

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the Washington Ireland Program for Service and Leadership (WIP). 

Washington DC based founder, Carol Wheeler, established WIP during the early stages of the Peace Process, with the recognition that there was an urgent need for young leaders from all sides of the community in Northern Ireland and Ireland to learn from each other, and work across divisions to build a peaceful and prosperous future. A community of supporters on both sides of the Atlantic came together to support that vision. Fast forward 30 years and WIP is one of the most highly regarded leadership programs on the island of Ireland. 

WIP supports, inspires, and develops leaders from a wide range of communities and backgrounds who are committed to building a future of peace and prosperity for Northern Ireland and Ireland.  WIP is best known for its Emerging Leaders program. Each year, 30 high potential students from diverse backgrounds from Northern Ireland and Ireland are selected to participate in WIP’s Emerging Leaders Program and spend 8 weeks living and working in Washington DC at the heart of the US political system. 

In a Time Magazine article published earlier this year, Dr Darragh Gannon of Georgetown University described how “Washington’s political culture remains a potential catalyst for political change in Ireland, north and south” and cited the Washington Ireland Program as an example of how “this integrated political education of the Good Friday Agreement generation in D.C. offers new promise for peace and prosperity on the island.”

While the focus of WIP’s impact is on the island of Ireland, the organisation also plays an important part in strengthening connections with the US. Speaking at a WIP event in Washington DC in 2022, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan described WIP as providing “enormous ballast in the relationship between the United States, the Republic, and Northern Ireland.” 

WIP has a community of almost 950 Alums who are leading across all sectors of society on the island of Ireland. Notable WIP Alumni include former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly, tech entrepreneur Aidan Corbett (co-founder of Wayflyer), and award-winning artist Adrian Margey.  

Speaking at the announcement of the WIP Class of 2023, then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that WIP “stokes the flames of curiosity, knowing that it will be essential to future success as global leaders, and – vitally – to the future success of the global community.”

WIP’s support comes from a wide array of generous supporters in Northern Ireland, Ireland and the US. WIP was delighted to welcome Ireland INC as a Corporate Partner in 2022 and deeply appreciates the support, engagement and generosity that this partnership has provided. Ian Hyland, President of Ireland INC remarked, “WIP’s reputation for driving the very best of young leaders across the island of Ireland and US is outstanding, as evidenced by the quality of its alumni across many industries. Personally, and at Ireland INC, we see the value in WIP and their critical work because as custodians of the next generation of talent, problem solvers, and change makers. Leaders of tomorrow!”

WIP has ambitious plans for the future and will continue to seek out leaders who seek to engage with the big issues that will shape the future of Northern Ireland and Ireland. 

To find out more about the Washington Ireland Program and learn about opportunities to get involved, please visit www.wiprogram.org