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REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE ON THE RECEPTION OF THE MARISA BELLISARIO AWARD

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE ON THE RECEPTION OF THE MARISA BELLISARIO AWARD

- I am delighted to receive the Marisa Bellisario Award, given in memory and honour of a very prominent Italian business woman who was Chief Executive of Italtel, the state telecommunications company, until her untimely death in 1988.

- This award is a fitting tribute to her memory and it has been given to many distinguished women in public life since its inception in 1989 including Elena Bonner Sakarov, my predecessor former President Mary Robinson, E.U. Commissioner Emma Bonino, and U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. I am pleased to have been awarded the honour this year with former E.U. Commissioner Monika Wolf Mathies.

- The Marisa Bellisario award, the Mela d’Oro (golden apple) is very much associated with Mrs Lella Golfo, who has devoted so much energy and commitment to the work of the foundation and whom I am delighted to welcome here today, together with the other members of the delegation.

- The Marisa Bellisario foundation, in addition to the promotion of the award, is involved with a wide programme of social and cultural activities. It organises training courses, partly financed by the European Social Fund, which promote the role of women in business and enterprise. The Foundation also carries out research on the position of women in economic life and publishes the results of this research.

- The Foundation recently organised a convoy to Kosovo, led by Mrs Golfo and in recognition of this work representatives of the foundation were received by former President Scalfaro at the Quirinale Palace.

- I am sure that we in Ireland can learn much from your activities and can compare our experiences as women in our fast changing society where the role of women has really developed in recent years.

- I suppose I would have to point out however that unlike Italy, Ireland has elected two women Presidents, so I hope our example will be a challenge for you!

- I am therefore particularly pleased to welcome you here today and to accept the honour you have bestowed on me, Mille Grazie.