REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MILLENNIUM GOLD ENCOUNTER AT DUBLIN CASTLE
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MILLENNIUM GOLD ENCOUNTER AT DUBLIN CASTLE ON TUESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 1998
I am delighted to be here this morning for the launch of the “Millennium Encounter” – and I would particularly like to extend a Céad Míle Fáilte to Dublin Castle to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, who is Patron of the Duke of Edinburgh Award – which of course is the sister award in the United Kingdom to the President’s Award. I think the venue for this public welcome for His Royal Highness is not insignificant given Dublin Castle’s long association with Britain as its main administrative centre in Ireland for several hundred years – an association which has been very carefully recorded and reflected in the art and artefacts that are in this important building today.
As many of you will know, the Millennium Encounter is for gold award winners, and as the name suggests, the “Encounter” will take the form of a leadership training exercise and a discussion forum for the participants here in Ireland in August 1999. The event is being organised jointly by the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Northern Ireland and the President’s Award, following their success in tendering for the event as a partnership – and will involve in excess of 100 gold award winners from 60 countries in what promises to be a tremendous occasion – giving participants opportunities to experience something of the different cultures that they will represent – to share experiences about their own award schemes – to exchange views – to obtain different perspectives on similar problems – and, perhaps most importantly, to explore areas of common ground on which they can forge new and lasting relationships that will serve to value and cherish the wealth of cultural diversity that exists in our world today.
The successful partnership that has brought the event to Ireland is an extension of the co-operation and interaction that already exists between North and South both at voluntary youth group level and at official level – with many organisations operating on an All-Ireland basis and in initiatives such as the British/Irish Conjoint Programme, which will commence in the near future and will involve an increase in youth exchange activity. These growing contacts and links are serving to reinforce a solid base of co-operation and are taking on a new significance with the political developments that are opening up new avenues of communication and new opportunities to build on what has already been achieved.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Michael Webb and the outgoing board of the President’s Award for the work that they have put into promoting and managing the scheme. I would also like to welcome the new board under the chairmanship of Mary White and which includes representatives from Northern Ireland. They are coming in at an exciting time in the development of the scheme, and in its relationship with the Duke of Edinburg Award. I wish them well in their work ahead. I know that the President’s Award Scheme has had a very collegial relationship with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme - with whom they have worked in partnership – and with whom they have shared information and skills. Indeed, Gaisce has been very fortunate to have had the generous and dedicated assistance of Michael Kirkham in implementing the its Charter Membership Programme. Michael, of course, has moved on to work on the Millenium Encounter which we hope will lead to much more expanded areas of co-operation between the two schemes, because the shared objective of both schemes is to provide opportunities for young people to discover and stretch themselves.
We are approaching the new millennium and coming to the end of a century which has seen the greatest rate of change in history – changes in technology that have revolutionised communications – changes in society that have affected every family and individual – changes in political structures that have redrawn the map of Europe. There is a refreshing and self-confident attitude among young people to the challenges that lie ahead – a willingness to grasp the many opportunities that the future holds – and a determination to become involved in the areas that affect their lives. The event that will take place next year will bring together the very best of young achievers from around the world in a unique showcase for what’s best in young people - and how they can blossom and benefit through participation in award schemes. Through their example, they will give the encouragement and stimulus to many others to look to the award schemes as a way of getting involved – and of demonstrating that they too have a contribution to make.
I am very happy to be associated with the Millennium Encounter and to join with His Royal Highness, Prince Philip in launching the project. It has come about through a very successful partnership between two very dedicated and committed organisations – and we know that its success is therefore assured. For young people from around the world this will be a unique opportunity to form new bonds of friendship and understanding that will serve the coming generations in the exciting times that lie ahead.
ENDS