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Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page A A comparative review of international diaspora strategies The Global Irish Making a Difference Together Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page B Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page C A comparative review of international diaspora strategies The Global Irish Making a Difference Together Kingsley Aikins Dr Anita Sands Nicola White Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page D The authors Kingsley Aikins President and CEO of The Worldwide Ireland Funds Dr Anita Sands Board Director of The Ireland Fund of Canada Nicola White Senior Research Officer of The Ireland Funds To contact Kingsley Aikins please email [email protected] or call +353 1 662 7878 Copies of this report are available for download at www.irlfunds.org First published 2009 The Ireland Funds 5 Foster Place, Dublin 2, Ireland www.irlfunds.org © 2009 Kingsley Aikins, Dr Anita Sands, Nicola White Design by Identikit Design Consultants, Dublin Printed by Impress Printing Works, Dublin All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, scanning, recording or in any other form of storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publishers. Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page E Contents Acknowledgements 1 Executive summary 3 Introduction 5 Approach to report 7 Section 1 Background to diaspora strategies 9 Defining diaspora: common trends and recent developments 9 Section 2 Ireland’s current context 11 The Smart Economy – a role for the diaspora? 13 Section 3 Ireland and its diaspora 15 A long history of migration 15 Capturing the Irish diaspora: extended citizenship 16 The diversity of our diaspora 17 Examining and redefining the relationship 17 A diffuse and diverse national asset 19 Where can the diaspora help? 23 Section 4 Key lessons from other countries 25 Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page F Contents Section 5 International diaspora initiatives 27 Developments in diaspora engagement: a comparative review 27 of international diaspora strategies and initiatives Research and data 29 Capital flows – remittances 30 Capital flows – bonds 3 1. Capital flows – philanthropy 33 Capital flows – foreign direct investment 36 Capital flows – venture capital and support for indigenous industry 39 Diaspora knowledge networks 45 Importance of educational exchange 53 Visits to the homeland 58 Engaging various generations 63 Recognition and awards 65 Section 6 Differing roles of government 67 Section 7 Culture matters 69 Section 8 Global best practices: conclusions for Ireland 73 Endnotes 76 Appendix 1: Summary of findings from field trip to India 85 Appendix 2: Summary of findings from field trip to Israel 89 Appendix 3: About The Ireland Funds 92 Bibliography 94 Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page 1 Acknowledgements This report was produced by The Ireland Funds Q Geetika Dayal, Executive Director, with the generous support of its members and The Indus Entrepreneurs, New Delhi the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs Q Yuli Edelstein, Minister for (Emigrant Support Programme). Diaspora Affairs, Israel The authors would like to thank all those who assisted in the publication of this report, Q Dr Zion Evrony, Ambassador of Israel, Ireland especially those who agreed to be interviewed and Q Michael Forbes, Ambassador of Ireland, Israel those who agreed to meet with us during the field trips to India and Israel: Q Randi Garber, Director, Health and Migration Initiatives, American Jewish Joint Q Shmuel Abramzon, Senior Economist, Distribution Committee, Israel The National Economic Council, Israel Q G. Gurucharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Q Mike Bailey, Director of Development, Overseas Indian Affairs Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal Q Isaac Herzog, Minister for Social Affairs Q Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, and Services, Israel Confederation of Indian Industry Q Alan Hoffman, Director General, Q Preeti Basil, Senior Consultant, Jewish Agency’s Education Department TATA Consultancy Services, India Q Martin Karp, Senior Vice President, The Jewish Q Pat Bourne, Deputy Head of Mission, Federation of Los Angeles – Israel Office Embassy of Ireland, India Q Brian Kerner, President, United Jewish Q Rafi Brender, Deputy Director of Israel Appeal, London Foreign Administration, Ministry of Q Anand Kumar, Coordinator, United Nations Trade and Commerce, Israel Solution Exchange, Israel Q Rebecca Caspi, Senior Vice President, Q Arnon Mantver, Director, The American United Jewish Communities, Israel Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Israel Q Shefali Chaturvedi, Director, Q Gidi Mark, International CEO, Confederation of Indian Industry Taglit-Birthright Israel Q Reshmi Dasgupta, Travel and Lifestyle Editor, The Economic Times, India 1 Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page 2 Q Gabriel McCarrick, Commercial Counsellor, Q D.N. Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Embassy of Ireland/Enterprise Ireland Overseas Indian Affairs Q Ami Mehl, Director, Jewish Communities Q Guatam Thapar, Chairman, Ballarpur Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel Industries Ltd, India Q Dr Ed Mlavsky, Chairman, Gemini Israel Funds Q Kenneth Thompson, Ambassador of Ireland, India Q Don Mohanlal, President, The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation Q M.K. Nachman Shai, The Knesset, Israel We would also like to thank the staff members of Q Madhu Pillai, Director, Confederation of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland Indian Industry and overseas who provided guidance and direction as the report was being compiled. Q Daniel Pins, Division Director, The American We wish to acknowledge the encouragement Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Israel offered by Ambassador Michael Collins and his Q P.S. Raghavan, Ambassador of India, Ireland staff at the Irish Embassy in Washington. We wish to also thank Loretta Brennan Q Shiv Ratan, Director, Ministry of Overseas Glucksman, Hugo MacNeill, Caitriona Fottrell, Indian Affairs Kieran McLoughlin, Mary Farrell, Lauren Rollins Q Dr Shlomi Ravid, Director of the International and Mark Loughran for their support and direction School for Jewish Peoplehood Studies, Israel as the report was being completed. 2 The Global Irish Making a Difference Together Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page 3 Executive summary The Irish diaspora is enormous in terms of its size, Set out below are some of the key principles and depth and talent. Over 70 million people worldwide themes that are explored in this report: claim Irish descent; 3.1 million are Irish citizens (passport holders), and 800,000 Irish born citizens Q More and more national governments are live overseas. Ireland, officially and informally, has introducing diaspora strategies and recognising had a long and fruitful relationship with this the role that key members of the diaspora can diaspora. However, the potential now exists to play in developing their home economies without take the relationship to a more strategic and having to return home permanently. Brain drain mutually beneficial level. can become brain gain and brain exchange This report recognises the extensive programmes that the Irish Government currently Q Ireland has a wide range of programmes and has with existing diaspora groups and organisations schemes through which it engages its diaspora. but, for the purposes of the research, it focuses The Government has invested significantly in primarily on the economic relationship with the diaspora communities (€60 million by the diaspora and the potential that this presents to Department of Foreign Affairs alone over the benefit Ireland. It outlines current best global past five years). Indeed, for some countries, practices in this field and sets out viable diaspora Ireland is a role model in this area. However, strategies and models for Ireland which, if Ireland could benefit from a more planned implemented, could result in the development of an and overarching diaspora strategy which even more valuable economic relationship – bringing would bring greater coordination to the wide ‘Ireland to the world’ and ‘the world to Ireland’. range of existing activities Executive summary 3 Diaspora Report Interior 24/08/2009 15:57 Page 4 Q Whereas a small number of exceptional people in but is currently disorganised. The Irish the diaspora can make a considerable difference diaspora can also assist with internships, (Global Irish 1000 concept), the potential now exchanges and mentorship exists for the first time to connect with very large Q India and Israel are countries that have numbers of the diaspora. These approaches are developed very pro-active engagement with their not mutually exclusive diaspora and both have enacted programmes Q The Irish diaspora has already played a that are potential models for Ireland fundamental role in the Peace Process in Q Ireland needs to put in place a series of initiatives Northern Ireland, philanthropy, foreign direct that will attract the next generation of the Global investment and the emergence of the Celtic Tiger Irish. In this regard it has much to learn from Q Culture is the great ‘Gateway to Ireland’, has Taglit-Birthright Israel and MASA programmes a powerful role to play in connecting with Q A number of countries have introduced the Global Irish and should be part of all our extended citizenship which increases the size strategies. Our culture provides us with a of their diaspora significant competitive advantage