President Michael D. Higgins departs on Latin America visit
Date: Mon 6th Feb, 2017 | 12:15
President Michael D. Higgins has accepted the invitations of the Heads of State of Peru, Colombia and Cuba to make a three country visit to Latin America, which will, in addition to celebrating the deep historic connections between Ireland and Latin America, boost political, cultural and economic ties.
It will be the first visit by an Irish President in office to each of the three countries.
The visit is based on the Government’s stated desire to develop Ireland’s profile in Latin America and will contribute to a new Government Strategy for Ireland’s relationship with the region, which will be published in the Spring of this year.
Peru
Leaving Dublin on 7 February, President Michael D. Higgins will begin his Official Visit to Peru with a visit to the tomb of Ambrosio O’Higgins, a native of Co. Sligo, who became one of the last Viceroys of Peru in the Spanish period and whose son Bernardo O’Higgins fought for Chilean independence and was later appointed Supreme Director of Chile.
The President will deliver a keynote address on the work and humanitarian vision of Roger Casement, who documented abuses associated with the extractive practices in the period of colonial exploitation. In his speech, the President will focus on issues of indigeneity, past and present, and the contribution of Roger Casement to human rights through his work in the Putamayo region. Later that day, the President will attend a reception for members of the Irish community in Peru.
On Friday 10 February, in a series of ceremonial events the President will lay a wreath at a monument for Peru’s independence heroes, inspect a Guard of Honour and receive a ceremonial welcome at Government Palace.
The President will meet with President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who is an economist by profession, to discuss global and regional challenges and the two countries’ options for strengthening political, economic and cultural ties, as well as plans and strategies for the promotion of democracy, human rights and sustainable development at regional and multi-lateral level.
The President of Peru has indicated that he will be awarding President Higgins with Peru’s highest honour, the “Gran Collar” of the Order of the Sun.
The President will witness the signing by the two governments of formal political consultation agreements. The President will also be meeting Ms. Luz Salgado Rubianes, President of the parliament of Peru, as well as with members of the Peruvian parliament.
Colombia
At the invitation of President Juan Manuel Santos the President will travel to Colombia for a meeting with President Santos and discussions on the background to the peace process in Colombia.
In Bogotá, President Higgins will meet leaders of Colombia's largest rebel movement, the FARC, at a rural camp in the west of the country, where rebels, Government forces and UN observers are working together to facilitate the demobilisation and reintegration of former rebels into Colombian society.
On Monday 13 February, the President will deliver a keynote address at the National University of Colombia (UNAL) on peace, reconciliation and ethical remembering, and the specific contribution to conflict resolution made by the Colombian peace process.
The President will then witness the signing of cooperation agreements between University College Cork (UCC) and a number of Colombian third level institutions.
In the afternoon, the President, who was a member of a previous Oireachtas delegation to Colombia in 2010, will have meetings with key civil society organisations involved in the peace process and initiatives in support of sustainable development, including with representatives of the country’s trade unions.
Cuba
On Wednesday 15 February, the President will travel to Havana at the invitation of the President of Cuba.
The President will begin the first ever State Visit to Cuba by an Irish President by laying a wreath at the monument dedicated to Cuban poet and independence hero José Martí, at Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución.
The President will go on to meet with President Raúl Castro, to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as issues relating to regional cooperation in Europe and Latin America.
On Thursday 16 February, the President will make a tour of Old Havana, and attend the Havana International Book Fair, (Feria Internacional de los Libros), one of the largest book fairs in the world and in which Ireland is participating for the first time.
The President, as Guest of Honour, will attend the launch the Cuban edition of ‘Star of the Sea’ by Irish author Joseph O’Connor, along with the Cuban Minister of Culture Mr. Abel Prieto. ‘Star of the Sea’ is the second Irish novel being translated in Cuba. In the evening, the President will attend a reception for the Irish community in Cuba.
The President will also formally open the Cuban launch of ‘The Irish in Latin America’ exhibition, developed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassies of Ireland in Mexico and Argentina, in collaboration with the Society for Irish Latin American Studies (SILAS).
On Friday 17 February, the President will, in his capacity as Patron of the Society for Irish Latin American Studies (SILAS), deliver his keynote address at the bi-annual gathering of university academics from Ireland, South America, Spain and North America, in partnership with the University of Havana, the first of its kind in Cuba.
The President will go on to meet with Cardinal Jaime Ortega and will have meetings with a broad representation of people and opinions in Cuban society.
On 18 February, the President will attend the session at the SILAS conference on Ireland and Cuba, and go on to make a tour of the Cuban National School of Dance.
Later that day, the President will leave for Dublin, arriving late on Sunday 19 February.