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President releases video message to the people of Peru

Date: Mon 5th Jul, 2021 | 12:00

President releases video message to the people of Peru


President Higgins has recorded a video message for the people of Peru, to mark their celebration of the 200th anniversary of the country’s independence.

The President has recorded his special message in both Spanish and English.

In his message, the President recalled his first visit to Peru, after his observation of the referendum that ended the perpetration of the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile. His later visit, in 2017, was as President of Ireland. His visit in 2017 was the first-ever such visit by an Irish Head of State. President Higgins said it was “one of the highlights of my time as President.” 

He spoke of Roger Casement and how moved he was to receive a delegation of Putumayo indigenous descendants of those whose lives were described by Casement. 

The President said that “Peru has influenced the lives of so many through its history” and that the country played an important role internationally, with “the wisdom of your experiences, and the warmth, humanity and cultural creativity of your peoples, all of which has enriched all of our lives.” 

In his video message, the President paid tribute to the work of Irish missionaries working in Peru, such as the Columban fathers and sisters, who have been supporting communities of the poor in Peru since 1951. 

 

  • A summary of the President’s 2017 visit to Peru is available at https://youtu.be/dqibT7ojxoA
  • In his video message, President Higgins refers to Roger Casement, who documented human rights abuses in the rubber industry in the Putumayo region. The President’s 2017 speech about Casement is available at https://youtu.be/WnGezyllANo 
  • In 2017, the President also voiced his appreciation for the work of Irish missionaries in Peru. A video of that occasion is available at https://youtu.be/dqibT7ojxoA