REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY MCALEESE AT THE STATE DINNER HOSTED BY THE GOVERNOR - GENERAL
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY MCALEESE AT THE STATE DINNER HOSTED BY THE GOVERNOR - GENERAL, WELLINGTON MONDAY, 29 OCT
Your Excellencies the Honourable Anand Satyanand and Mrs Susan Satyanand,
Minister Carter,
Minister King,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.
Thank you, Your Excellency, and the Government, for your invitation to visit. And thank you all for the warm and generous welcome which has been extended to us since our arrival in New Zealand yesterday.
The strong ties of kinship that bind Ireland and New Zealand, dating back to the arrival with Captain Cook of the first Irishmen, are evident in many aspects of New Zealand life, and nowhere more than in this city, named after a Dubliner. As the seat of Government, Wellington has seen plenty of New Zealand-Irish politicians, from George Grey through to Prime Minister Clark, whose grandfather emigrated from Co. Armagh in 1910.
This interweaving of our two histories will be given musical expression by a project - Green Fire Islands - which begins with this visit. Over the coming months, a group of Irish traditional musicians will play, write and arrange music with the finest musicians of the Maori tradition, the results of which will be documented and performed in a series of concert performances here next March.
Internationally, our two countries support a vital value system: belief in dialogue as the key to conflict prevention and resolution, faith in the power of partnership to which the United Nations is key; advocates of disarmament, champions of the developing nations, witnesses to the potential of democracy founded on respect for human rights and recognition of the innate human dignity of each person.
These same values made New Zealand a firm supporter of the political dialogue which after long years of conflict, ended the suffering of the people of Northern Ireland. A remarkable transformation is taking place there and at last we have the confluence of peace, prosperity and partnership to look forward to on our shared island.
Our context has changed substantially in a short time. Relationships with Britain are now warm and collegial. North-South relationships on the island of Ireland are characterised by good neighbourliness and partnership across our many areas of common interest. The blight of mass emigration which drained our country of
youth and energy has been replaced by net inward migration. Today our emigrants return home, and new migrants are attracted by our prosperity, some for the long haul but most with the idea of returning home. The emigrant of today is a very different phenomenon from even a generation ago. Today they are intimately connected to home through technology and accessible air travel. Returning is infinitely easier and a realisable ambition in ways that it was not before.
We are working hard in Ireland to replicate your success at creating a multicultural, tolerant society respectful of all and welcoming of difference. We have learnt many lessons as an emigrant people and now deeply desire to get the immigrant experience in Ireland as right as possible, to make our new citizens and colleagues feel at home as you have done here. It is your spontaneous welcome that allows me to arrive as a stranger after a journey across half the globe and to feel an instant sense of ease.
We already feel truly at home here and I thank you for your warm New Zealand welcome.