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President Higgins to address United Nations

Date: Wed 18th Apr, 2018 | 12:17

President Michael D. Higgins today confirmed that, at the request of the Government, he has accepted an invitation to address the United Nations in New York and meet with UN Secretary General Mr. António Guterres.

The President will travel to the UN headquarters to reaffirm, and discuss the future role of, Ireland’s commitment to peacebuilding and sustaining peace. 

He will highlight Ireland’s contribution to the United Nations, and in particular the role played by Ireland in the negotiation and ratification process for the international Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement to address climate change.

Following a series of high level meetings, the President will take the opportunity to meet with organisations supporting Irish immigrants in the United States, and organisations promoting Irish talent and expertise in areas such as business, sports and the arts.

The President will be accompanied by Sabina Higgins and by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone, representing the Government. 

 


Programme

The President’s visit to the USA begins on Tuesday 24 April with a keynote address at the High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, at UN Headquarters. 

On Wednesday 25 April, President Higgins will have a special meeting with Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations. The President will also meet with the President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Miroslav Lajcák, followed by a series of bilateral meetings with other Heads of State and senior UN officials, at UN headquarters. 

In the evening, President and Sabina Higgins will meet members of the Irish community in New York, after which they will visit the site of the new Irish Arts Center, meet with its supporters and community partners, and attend a gala concert in support of the Irish Arts Centre. 

On Thursday 26 April, the President will address an event highlighting the achievements of Irish women in business, politics and philanthropy, taking place in the context of the Ireland Funds’ ‘Women In Leadership’ series. 

Later that day, the President has been invited to deliver an address to the staff and students at Columbia University, as part of Columbia’s ‘World Leaders Forum’. 

While in New York, the President will host events for representatives of a number of groups, including representatives from a number of UN member states. 

On Friday 27 April, the President will meet with invitees of Irish State agencies Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, IDA Ireland and Culture Ireland. 

In the afternoon, the President will view the Berg Collection of literary artefacts at the New York Public Library and also visit the Tenement Museum, which documents the lives of immigrants who lived in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 19th and early 20th century. 

On the final day of his visit, Saturday 28 April, the President will meet representatives of immigration and community centres working in the Greater New York area, followed by a visit to Rockland GAA, the largest GAA club outside Ireland.