Business

Belfast unites with global family to plot path through pandemic

California State Controller Betty Yee will join a panel discussion on providing the fiscal firepower to fight the pandemic
California State Controller Betty Yee will join a panel discussion on providing the fiscal firepower to fight the pandemic California State Controller Betty Yee will join a panel discussion on providing the fiscal firepower to fight the pandemic

A GLOBAL team of 'Friends of Belfast' will field for the city at the seventh annual Homecoming next month to help the city through the Covid crisis.

Uniting virtually under the theme ‘We are Team Belfast’ will be champions of commerce, culture and community from four continents.

For the first time, the conference on Thursday and Friday October 1 and 2 will also salute exceptional individuals from other places who have made Belfast their home, including leading burns consultant Mr Khalid Khan, Children’s Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma and South African Presbyterian Minister Brent van der Linde.

The two-day conference traditionally connects Belfast with its diaspora around the world, and this year it will call on its diaspora to back the city, as it rebuilds from the effects of Covid-19.

Seventy speakers will participate in the conference including Betty Yee, California State Controller; Eilis Ferran, pro-vice chancellor Cambridge University; Christine Quinn, chief executive WIN homeless charity, New York; Keith Nealon, chief executive, Bazaarvoice, Austin, Texas; and Marty Meehan, president, University of Massachusetts.

Belfast lord mayor Frank McCoubrey said: “Given the importance of our diaspora to the city’s international profile, I'm delighted the council is supporting The Homecoming conference again this year. Events like this are extremely important in helping to maintain our longstanding friendships and helping to foster new ones.

“Despite the global difficulties resulting from the pandemic, Belfast remains very much open for business and Team Belfast is determined to continue to build on our growing reputation as an attractive location for people to study, visit, invest and trade.

“The last six months have been challenging for everyone but I believe that we have risen to the challenge as a city and our response has demonstrated our resilience and ‘can do’ attitude. I hope that these positive messages are echoed far and wide by the international participants taking part in this year’s event.”

Belfast Homecoming is sponsored by Bazaarvoice, Open University, Deloitte, Northern Irish Connections, MPR, Tourism Ireland, The Dead Rabbit, Tourism NI, Neueda, Belfast City Council, Datactics, IBO New York and Belfast Harbour.