Held once every two years, either in North America or in Northern Ireland, the Symposium is a huge draw for historians, scholars, academics and those simply interested in tracing their family's roots back to the soil in the north and south of Ireland.
"It's been absolutely excellent so far which you can see from the numbers attending the Symposium, who have come from all over - North America, Ireland and Britain, and the quality of the papers has been excellent. We have come to expect this from the Ulster American Folk Park symposium," he said.
Stressing the importance of the Symposium was to the people who had emigrated and returned 'home' to research their roots, as well as to the people of the north west, and Londonderry.
"It is particularly important for the north west and for the city. The Port of Londonderry was one of the main emigration ports even as far back as the 17th Century, but particularly in the 18th Century and especially from the 19th century onwards and we have a long heritage of ships leaving Derry - for instance the McCorkell Line, which were renowned. They weren't the 'coffin ships' they were actually very good ships, and if you try to add up today the numbers of people descended from those people who have left that port you are talking of millions and millions of people.
"I think it is particularly interesting here today to hear Canadians who would still keep that link with the Port of Derry and so on," he said.
Dr Kelly also highlighted the importance of recording the history of Orangeism in Canada saying: "This is a core part of our heritage. You can see how the Canadians, even though the Orange Order has declined considerably from what it once was, the Canadians here today and contribute to our book series, which I edit, they are very keen that they retain their heritage and that they remember that heritage and that they understand it, because it played such a big role in developing what has become a multi-cultural Canada."