Speeches By President Of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins

On the evening of the first day of the State Visit, President and Sabina Higgins attended a State Dinner hosted in their honour by President Steinmeier and Ms. Büdenbender. Ar thráthnóna an chéad lae den Chuairt Stáit, bhí an tUachtarán agus Saidhbhín i láthair ag Dinnéar Stáit arna óstáil ag an Uachtarán Steinmeier agus ag an Uasal Büdenbender ina n-onóir. https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-attend-a-state-dinner-hosted-by-mr-frank-walter-steinmeier-president-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany-and-mrs-elke-budenbender

President Steinmeier and Ms. Büdenbender welcomed President and Sabina Higgins to Schloss Bellevue, built in 1786, which is the official residence of the German Head of State. After the meetings, President Higgins and President Steinmeier spoke to the media. https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-meets-president-frank-walter-steinmeier

The President addressed an event hosted by Enterprise Ireland, for CEOs of 30 leading Irish companies and their German business partners. Introduction by Ambassador Michael Collins. See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-attend-a-meeting-with-enterprise-ireland-client-companies

On the first day of their State Visit to Germany, President and Sabina Higgins participated in a Bord Bia event aimed at highlighting quality Irish food exports. Details via https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-attend-a-lunch-meeting-with-bord-bia-and-partner-companies

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-attend-a-reception-to-mark-the-opening-of-the-new-consulate-general-of-ireland-in-frankfurt On the last they of their State Visit to Germany, President and Sabina travelled to Frankfurt, in the State of Hessen, home to the European Central Bank and many major financial institutions. The President spoke at a reception for the Irish community in the city, to mark the opening of a new Irish consulate in the city, following a decision, arising from last year’s government review "Ireland in Germany, A Wider and Deeper Footprint", to open a new Irish Consulate in Frankfurt.

President delivers keynote address at Leipzig University by Áras an Uachtaráin

President Higgins hosted an event marking an initiative to expand the Gaisce programme within the Irish Prison Service. Gaisce, the President’s Award, is a self-development programme for young people between the ages of 15 and 25, and since 2004 it has also been operating in a small number of Irish prisons. Some 190 people have completed their Gaisce challenges, and several young men have been presented with their Gold Awards by President Michael D. Higgins, in the Midlands Prison and in Oberstown Children Detention Campus. See: https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-receives-representatives-from-the-irish-prison-service-and-gaisce-the-presidents-award

The final event in the 2019 series of Garden Parties hosted by President and Sabina Higgins was a tribute to two major youth organisations, Macra na Feirme and the Union of Students in Ireland. Entitled “Participation and Transformation”, the Garden Party aimed to celebrate the work of these two organisations that mark significant anniversaries this year and that play a crucial role in encouraging the participation of young people in decision-making processes. Macra na Feirme, formed in 1944, is a national organisation that supports the social and personal development of young people with a connection to rural Ireland, and USI, established in 1959, is the national representative body for students in third level education on the island of Ireland. Throughout his first term in office, President Higgins has encouraged young people to “take charge of change”, and he has championed numerous organisations that support young people – who as the President has said “have come of age during one of the most rapid soc

President and Sabina Higgins hosted a special Presidential Concert, celebrating Irish country music. The President decided to host the concert in celebration of Irish Country Music and in acknowledgement of the work being undertaken by various organisations in fostering, and developing, strong rural communities throughout the villages and towns of Ireland. The concert is part of a series of Garden Parties at Áras an Uachtaráin, organised by President and Sabina Higgins to celebrate particular people and organisations who work on themes that the President wants to highlight. Organisations invited to Friday’s concert include a range of rural community organisations as well as national organisations such as Muintir na Tíre, Irish Men’s Sheds, Volunteer Ireland, Irish Rural Link and Irish farmers’ associations. See:https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-host-concert-celebrating-irish-country-music

https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-host-bloomsday-garden-party

The third Garden Party in the 2019 series of summer events hosted by President and Sabina Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin focused on the theme of Gender-Based Violence. See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-host-a-garden-party-promoting-gender-equality-and-respect-for-all

On the evening of the first day of the State Visit by the King of the Netherlands, President and Sabina Higgins hosted a State Dinner in honour of their guests. Guests at the dinner include people with cultural, diplomatic or economic links to the Netherlands.

Speech at a State Dinner by King Willem - Alexander of The Netherlands by Áras an Uachtaráin

President Higgins hosted a meeting with representatives of the group of Small Island Developing States. See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-and-sabina-receive-ambassadors-from-small-island-developing-states

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-a-garden-party-commemorating-dail-100

Speech by President Higgins at the European Federation of Public Service Unions Congress See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-speaks-at-the-annual-congress-of-the-european-federation-of-public-service-unions

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-a-reception-commemorating-the-great-flu-epidemic-of-1918-1919

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-a-reception-commemorating-the-great-flu-epidemic-of-1918-1919

See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-a-reception-commemorating-the-great-flu-epidemic-of-1918-1919

President Michael D. Higgins hosted a seminar on the great flu epidemic of 1918-1919. The 1918-1919 flu epidemic infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide - some 800,000 in Ireland - and killed 3-5% of the world’s population. The epidemic is estimated to have killed 23,000 people in Ireland, only slightly less than the number of Irish people who died in World War I, in which an officially recorded total of 27,405 Irish people lost their lives. See https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-hosts-a-reception-commemorating-the-great-flu-epidemic-of-1918-1919