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Remarks by President Higgins at the launch of a stamp to commemorate UNESCO Dublin

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT HIGGINS AT THE LAUNCH OF A STAMP TO COMMEMORATE UNESCO DUBLIN CITY OF LITERATURE FIGHTING WORDS CENTRE

Friends of writings, writers, word wielders and myth makers

Today is a special day for all of those involved with Fighting Words; the day that the Irish Times publish their Fighting Words supplement with a selection of some of the stories and poems that have been imagined and crafted in the Fighting Words Centre over the past year. The publication of this supplement marks a special achievement for all those whose work features on its pages and whose talent, skill and dedication has been justly recognised and acknowledged. However, each piece of work selected for publication represents the many, many other poems, stories and narratives which have been created individually and in groups in the Centre throughout the past year and is a shared accomplishment for which everyone involved deserves congratulation.

I have been privileged to receive a copy of the Fighting Words supplement and to experience through its pages the creative journey that is travelled as we move from the vivid and highly coloured world of endless possibility that is so evident in the writing of the young children to the more finely tuned hues of early adolescence eventually developing to a shading so subtle that the lines between dark and light become almost elusive at times as the young writers attempt to make sense of the world around them.

There is, of course, another reason why today is an important one for Fighting Words and why we are all gathered here this morning. Today we launch a stamp which not only commemorates UNESCO Dublin City of Literature but also immortalises the words of Eoin Moore, whose story was chosen from hundreds of submissions to appear on the face of this commemorative stamp. That is an extraordinary achievement and one of which he, and his family, should be very proud indeed. James Joyce captured the essence of his Dublin in approximately 265,000 words, Eoin has done so in just 224 – an impressive accomplishment of which many celebrated writers would be deeply envious.

There is so much to admire in Eoin’s skilled narrative; the quality of the writing; the strong opening and closing words; the succinct manner in which he encapsulates the multifarious character of our capital city. Most striking, however, is the manner in which Eoin harnesses his own experience in Dublin to all that has gone before, seamlessly blending past and present to form one sensitive narrative of a migrant in time and space. Eoin’s work shows a true understanding of how, in his own words ‘All of us who travel those arteries step on the words, actions and lives of those who travelled them before us.’

I congratulate Eoin on his excellent writing. I also commend Roddy Doyle, Sean Love and all of those involved in Fighting Words – including the volunteers who so generously and altruistically share their time and creativity, the schools who encourage their pupils to take part in this valuable initiative and, of course, all of the young people who have put pen to paper and allowed their creativity to flow.

Ar go leor bealaí, is éard atá sa scríbhneoireacht an chruthaitheacht i gceann dá foirmeacha is glaine. Cuireann an scríbhneoireacht ar ár gcumas scód a ligean leis an tsamhlaíocht; an draíocht a fheiceáil sa ghnáth-eispéireas laethúil; na mothúcháin a bhogadh trí úsáid chumhachtach focal; agus na gnáth-eispéiris a fhí isteach i gcomhthéacsanna neamh-ghnáthacha dfhonn féidireachtaí nua agus réaltachtaí nua a chruthú.

[In many ways, writing is creativity in one of its purest forms. Writing enables us to let our imaginations run free; to see the magic in the experience of the everyday; to move emotions through the powerful use of words; and to weave familiar experiences into unfamiliar environments in order to create new possibilities and new realities.]

The provision of a space for exploring and nurturing creativity is essential if we are to make free a future generation to develop their imagination and explore their unique potential and possibilities within a truly fair and inclusive society. This is a matter on which I have spoken many times and a debate that has become increasingly significant in recent years as we seek to rebuild our economy, our international reputation and our perception of how we wish to be defined as a people and a society.

Places and concepts like Fighting Words, provide room and an outlet for young people’s creativity. Such spaces and their mentors are a welcome support in a world of many frustrations, insensitivities even humiliations and of increasing competition targeted at the time and attention of children and adolescents. Whilst new technology has in many ways the capacity to increase our quality of life, we must remain mindful of the tendency to ever greater commodification of our lives, the taking from our young people the opportunity to develop their innate creativity, curiosity and originality.

In the four years since its inception fighting words has indeed been fighting back, providing 40,000 students with the opportunity to take part in its free creative writing workshops and courses. It is deeply impressive to know that in that time those students have published five anthologies of short stories, a novel and several films. In addition many thousands of stories have been printed in-house and many valuable creative partnerships formed with cultural organisations and institutions such as the Abbey Theatre, the Hugh Lane Gallery and the Irish Print Museum as well as with individual writers and artists. That is, indeed, a very impressive record of which you should all be very proud.

As well as those very tangible outcomes participating in Fighting Words has, of course, also impacted greatly in other ways on its many participants. The younger children who come here and work together in groups have learnt how exciting it is to contribute their own imaginative thoughts to a project whilst also respecting the differing vision and views of others; realising what can be achieved when everyone works together to achieve a shared goal.

For the older children it has been an opportunity to realise that while creativity is a valuable gift it can only be truly productive if it is combined with an ethic of hard work and commitment; to a courage to speak with a voice that is unique and individual; and to a wisdom to know when it is necessary to rewrite, re-craft and re-construct in order to create a narrative that reaches all its possibilities.

Cuireann sé gliondar orm a bheith anseo inniu chun stampa cuimhneacháin na Náisiún Aontaithe a chur chun farraige. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le Roddy Doyle agus le Sean Love as an gcuireadh a thug said dom; agus libhse go léir as bhur bhfíor-chaoin fáilte.

[I am delighted to be here today to launch the UNESCO Dublin City of Literature commemorative stamp. May I thank Roddy Doyle and Sean Love for their invitation and all of you for your warm welcome.]

Dublin – the city mapped and charted in one of the great literary masterpieces of the 21st century – is proud of the many Nobel laureates, Booker prizewinners and internationally acclaimed writers it can truly claim as one of its own. It is a city renowned for its great literary reputation – a reputation it wears with ease and assurance and with the confidence that it will continue to produce and inspire writers of great stature; gifted writers unafraid to push the boundaries, explore, experiment, delve deeply and face emotion that takes them way beyond their comfort zones.

Today we remember the many great writers, past and present, who have created that great literary reputation we enjoy today. But today we also celebrate the creativity of a new generation of citizens; citizens whose vision and imagination will form and craft the future as they become the innovators, thinkers, leaders, teachers and decision makers of tomorrow.

I wish all of you every deserved success in the future and I am delighted to launch this UNESCO Commemorative Stamp.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.