REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY McALEESE IN RESPONSE TO WELCOME AT TARTU TOWN HALL
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY McALEESE IN RESPONSE TO WELCOME AT TARTU TOWN HALL DURING THE STATE VISIT TO ESTONIA
Mr President, Mr Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I should like to thank the Mayor for his kind words of welcome.
My visit today is unfortunately all too short but long enough to have a store of beautiful images and positive impressions which will be an inspiration long after I have returned home to Ireland.
As the first President of Ireland to pay a State visit to Estonia, I am delighted to have this opportunity to visit this elegant university city of Tartu, the intellectual, cultural and scientific capital of Estonia. It is also a very appropriate place in which to develop the relationship between Estonia and Ireland and to add a touch of reality to that imaginary dialogue depicted in your sculpture between the great Estonian writer Eduard Wilde and his contemporary, our great Irish writer Oscar Wilde. That sculpture parallels the purpose of this state visit: linking the east and west of Europe, re-engaging in friendship building between two members of our common European family, acknowledging the long standing connections between us and setting the scene for a forthcoming fresh new era of partnership between us as colleagues in the European Union.
As the site of Estonia’s foremost institute of learning for four centuries, Tartu can justly be described as the cradle of Estonia’s talent and the crucible from which its future will be formed. I greatly look forward to visiting and speaking at Tartu University later this morning, for it is in this city that so many of Estonia’s leading personalities have received their intellectual formation and here too, much of the sense of Estonian nationhood has been developed.
The Festival of Estonian Song, a vital element in the contemporary re-assertion of the Estonian national consciousness, began and took root here in 1869. You probably have the longest history of song contests of any competitor in the Eurovision Song Contest - which might explain your very recent runaway success in Denmark.
The people of this city have been powerful witnesses of opposition to oppression using the power of culture, the huge moral strength of truth and non-violent resistance. You have throughout the generations made your charming city a beacon of light to your own people and indeed to peoples struggling elsewhere in this region and beyond.
Mr Mayor I know the work of restoration and development of your famous city is close to your heart. This lovely building, with its façade remaining intact since 1789 is one fine example of the heritage you have to care for. The kind of problems, tensions, conflicting demands and issues which you have to face every day, will be familiar to many cities throughout Europe including Ireland. There is a heritage to protect, there is a modern city to be accommodated, there is a prosperous future to be realized. While you guard this city’s wellbeing for the people of Tartu and the people of Estonia, you are also guarding it for the European family so that we each of us will have a chance to fully know the rich genius of our more distant European cousins. I wish you and the Municipal Council continued success in all you do and thank you for your warm hospitality.