Sparking Change with Dil

#30 | Dr. Thamil Venthan Ananthavinayagan: A True World Citizen

By Dil Wickremasinghe

In this captivating and moving episode of Sparking Change, Dil speaks with fellow Sri Lankan (more on that in the episode), Dr. Thamil Venthan Ananthavinayagan (don’t feel bad, even Dil has some difficulty pronouncing it!).

Since finishing his PhD in NUI Galway, Thamil now lectures in international law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law at Griffith College Dublin, since September 2017. He describes himself as ‘Tamil by ethnicity, German by heart, Dutch by fondness, Irish by spirit, and Italian by love’—a true world citizen! Thamil has written two insightful articles on the topic of immigration, for thejournal.ie (here and here).

In this episode, Dil and Thamil enjoy a wide-ranging conversation on topics such as, Thamil’s circuitous route to Ireland, his father’s role in politics during the Sri Lankan civil war, spotting unicorns in Ireland, the re-emergence of nationalism, what Ireland means to Thamil, and Sri Lankans’ fear of the fourth floor, as well as Dil and Thamil’s complex relationship with their country of origin.

Dil Wickremasinghe 59 posts 0 comments

Dil is an award-winning broadcaster and journalist, but she is also a social entrepreneur, stand-up comedian and actor. In 2011 with her wife, Anne Marie, she Co-Founded Insight Matters, a mental health service. With a team of 45 therapists they support over 300 clients per week. In 2014, Dil was honoured with the Frederick Douglas Award as part of the Lord Mayor’s Awards for her outstanding contribution to Dublin civic life.

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