Galway

<h4>Cillian Murphy Shares Acting and Empathy Learning with UNESCO Youth Researchers</h4>
Actor Cillian Murphy highlighted the importance of empathy in adolescents, as a University of Galway research initiative on empathy education took centre stage, during a UNESCO event held in Dublin.
The actor and patron of the UNESCO centre in Galway engaged with young people on the importance of compassion and social understanding.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The event, Acting with Empathy, held at Stella Cinema, Rathmines, included a screening of Small Things Like These, followed by a discussion with RTÉ’s John Kelly.&nbsp;
Known for his advocacy in youth-focused empathy research, Cillian reflected on his ongoing support for the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the University of Galway.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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<h5>Cillian Murphy with (l-r) Grace Cashell, Rayah Gharzeddine, Victoria Karaeva and Aoife Maher from Foróige’s The Big Picture Youth Service in Tallaght. Credit – Julien Behal.</h5>
He emphasised the challenges young people face, including prejudice, targeted hate speech, and online bullying.&nbsp;&nbsp;
"While the movie Small Things reflects on the plight of Irish life in the mid-1980s," he said, "its message of the need for empathy and compassion in communities has even more resonance today given the personal and social challenges young people face and endure – not least issues of prejudice, targeted hate speech and online bullying.”
Galway student Ailbhe Ní Mhoráin of Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill is a youth researcher. She underscored the need for deeper empathy in society:&nbsp;
“Now more than ever, empathy education is essential so young people can truly understand each other and not at a surface level. As the voice of tomorrow, we need to be able to work together to face the challenges arising in the future.”
Since 2016, researchers at the University of Galway have been at the forefront of developing evidence-based empathy education, shaping interventions for schools, youth work programmes, and government policy.&nbsp;
The event also introduced plans for a transatlantic UNESCO Observatory for Youth Empathy and Engaged Citizenship, co-located with Pennsylvania State University, which aims to bridge research and practical application in communities worldwide.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cillian Murphy Highlights Galway-Led Empathy Research at UNESCO Youth Event

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