Interwoven/Fite Fuaite – “beautiful collaboration” launched at Mayo Robinson Centre in Mayo

Earlier this month, the Mary Robinson Centre hosted the launch of Interwoven/Fite Fuaite, a collaborative quilt created by 51 community groups across Ireland to represent the nation at COP30 in Brazil.  The initiative celebrates connection, creativity, and collective climate action. 

Also known by its Irish name 'Fite Fuaite', Interwoven embodies Ireland’s diverse voices and shared commitment to addressing the climate crisis. Each of its 51 squares was designed by groups nationwide, capturing community stories, landscapes, and hopes for a sustainable future. 

Pictured: Interwoven/Fite Fuaite at Ireland West Airport

Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson described Interwoven/Fite Fuaite as  a “beautiful collaboration.” 

“Each quilt square carried the story of a community working for climate justice and for nature, forging a message of hope as the quilt began its journey from  Ireland to Belém,” said Mrs Robinson. 

Laura Cook of Project Dandelion collected the quilt at the send-off launch, where representatives from each community group gathered. She carried it to  COP30, where Mrs Robinson will participate in a series of events throughout the conference. The quilt will be showcased at gatherings of climate and community groups before Mrs Robinson presents it to Brazilian Climate  Minister Marina Silva. 

“Mrs Robinson’s idea was inspired by a quilt Irish women sent to the United  Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing 30 years ago,” said Ms Cook. “She saw that as a powerful symbol of women reaching out to other women,  and this quilt shared that spirit. Each square showed that when we wove our  stories together, we created something stronger and more beautiful than any of  us could alone.”

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Emma Donoghue, Project Manager at the Mary Robinson Centre, described  Interwoven as “a celebration of connection between people, places, and purpose. I showed how local stories, when woven together, could carry a  powerful message from Ireland to the world.” 

As Interwoven departed for Brazil, the project’s organisers looked to the future. 

“We realised through this that there were groups working away in their own locality who had no idea that others were doing the same in the next county,”  Ms Cook added. “We wanted to create an online database of these projects – a  virtual tapestry – so they could see how influential and strong they were  together.”