Three long years have passed since we were last able to welcome home our global family to help in the work of building a brighter Belfast.

That hiatus comes to an end this September when we open our doors and our hearts to our diaspora at the first in-person international Homecoming since the Covid storm struck.

Our mission remains the same: to create mutually beneficial international partnerships which can make a real difference in Belfast.

We have some stellar examples of projects which have prospered due to the input of our Irish and Scots-Irish diasporas — from the Titanic Centre to the Friendship Four and from the Felician University-Belfast MET tie-up to the NY pension fund investments in Crescent Capital and Kernel — but now is not the time to rest on our laurels.

Rather we need to step up and seize the opportunities in a world which, since we last met, has changed immeasurably.

From 27-29 September, therefore, we will hang out our brighest colours once again to welcome home the global Irish.

Already, the Irish Partnership Board of Boston and the American Irish Legislators Society in New York State are planning visits to Belfast during this period but we hope to build on that sound foundation by calling more of our expats back.

Join us at the Belfast International Homecoming – Come Home to Make a Difference.