Migrants are being encouraged to get more involved in community activism and politics, including standing for election, to ensure that there is greater diversity in decision making.
The call was made as over 30 people graduated from leadership programmes run by the Immigrant Council of Ireland.
The Migrant Leadership Academy and Migrant Councillor Internship Scheme are aimed at improving representation and developing leadership skills.
They are also designed to enable the participants to become advocates and voices for their communities and to break down barriers.
The participants, who are migrants and refugees, were presented with Certificates of Recognition during a ceremony at EPIC, the museum in Dublin honouring emigrants from Ireland.
Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland Brian Killoran said it is about "empowering people from a migrant background who want to be community leaders, leaders in their own community, leaders in the broader community, but also for those that are interested in becoming involved in Irish politics."
Mr Killoran said: "Politics in Ireland can be very inclusive but also for somebody coming from outside the State, it can also be quite complicated."
"What does a local councillor do? What does a TD do? What does a Senator do?" he said.
"We're not becoming a diverse country, we are a diverse country, and that needs to be reflected in politics, it needs to be reflected in community life and we need to celebrate that," he added.
Chief Commissioner at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Sinéad Gibney said: "A year out now from the local elections, it's a really great time to get people thinking about that and how important it is that we see that representation in our leadership in all parts of society, not just in politics."
"A healthy democracy is one that represents the society that it serves, so I think programmes like we're celebrating today really mean that people have the tools that they need to put themselves forward," Ms Gibney said.
"We need to see better representation across the public sector, in teaching, in An Garda Síochána and so on," she added.
"I would really emphasise that it's important that people feel empowered and feel enabled to step-up and to really represent the community in Ireland, the multicultural and pluralist society that we now have, and that we're very blessed and lucky to have," she concluded.
Ekaterina Koneva, who is originally from Lithuania, has been living in Ireland for 16 years.
She took part in the Migrant Councillor Internship Scheme and now hopes to contest the local elections next year in Co Offaly.
Ms Koneva said she wants to "represent more migrants in the local authority and improve their lives and help to integrate people in Irish society.
Others have their sights set on being elected to Dáil Éireann.
Mysi Badenhorst, who's originally from Botswana, said the course "refined my leadership skills and actually helped me to bring my vision alive."
She said her aim now is to become a TD.
Ms Badenhorst said: "I know it's a bit big and scary but what does it mean if it doesn't scare you."
She said she believes it is important to have migrants enter national politics because "right now we're seeing a high rise of anti-migrant campaigns happening and it would be amazing to hear from us."
"It's very important that we are included, and our voices are heard and amplified to everybody else," she added.
