The two week exhibit, which will run from March 9-20, will highlight the lasting impact of the Great Hunger on the Irish people.

“The Great Hunger in Ireland was a period of mass starvation and significant death by disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852,” said Ryan Mahoney, executive director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum. “This experience has left collective scars on society and memory, as it significantly impacted the course of Irish history.”

Ireland President Michel D. Higgins said the focus on hunger-alleviation in Ireland’s sustainable development program is “not simply because we remember, but because we cannot forget.” Based on this experience, the Irish government has a longstanding commitment to working for the eradication of poverty and hunger in the world.

2022 will mark the 175th anniversary of the Great Hunger. This exhibit will contribute to the National Famine Commemoration Committee’s goal to foster awareness around the Irish experience as a basis for Irish advocacy for the elimination of famine and hunger worldwide.

It is the goal of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN to show to member states and key influencers that the Great Hunger is part of living memory in Ireland and has given Ireland the tools for empathy with others around the world, which leads us to take action everywhere we find injustice, poverty and hunger.

Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University is home to the world’s largest collection of artwork related to the topic of the Great Hunger. The museum hosts numerous school programs, events, and workshops throughout the year. To learn more, visit ighm.org.