ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY MCALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF HER VISIT TO DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY MCALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF HER VISIT TO DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY FOR “DÍA DE ESPANA” TUESDAY 10TH MA
Karl Popper, the Austrian-born Philosopher said of languages that, “The fundamental thing about human languages is that they can and should be used to describe something; and this something is, somehow, the world”. Samuel Johnson said that, “languages are the pedigree of nations”. For me, languages are the windows and doors that overlook other landscapes and through which we can access other people and their cultures – through which we can see what lies behind the superficial exterior of nations and races – through which we build links with people from other places and traditions – and by which we can gain, if we seek it, a profound understanding and appreciation of the complex relationships between the peoples and races that make up this world.
Language is not therefore, simply a means of communication - it’s not simply a way of passing messages like Morse code or semaphore. Language is something with a more substantial dimension - more of an environment which takes account of the world in which the language developed and in which it thrives – of the culture of the people who speak it – of their natural hinterland – of their history, their religion and their art. Most of all, language permits us to take a look at how other people really live – how they see and understand themselves from the inside - what lies behind the way they think and act, and why they believe the things they believe. In that respect, it is the means by which we can recognise their identity.
So often, even when we speak the same language, we pick each other up incorrectly – we fail to truly hear – we get it wrong – we end up misunderstanding. How much more difficult to truly understand across the barriers of unknown language. Learning languages is essential because it gives us the wherewithal to truly understand and deal with cultural and ethnic differences, both within our own society and in others, for in an increasingly interdependent world, the level of interaction between peoples and cultures will continue to expand. Recognising and preserving diversity is the key to preserving civilisation. Wouldn’t the world be a drab place if everything and everybody were the same – where, “the bland lead the bland”. Harmony is dependent on diversity. And a healthy society is one which celebrates diversity rather than suppresses it - where cultures and traditions draw on each other - where the spiral of civilisation and social development is upward. To achieve that, minds must be capable of opening to the richness of diversity; to the realisation that harmonious co-existence and joyful curiosity are the way forward.
Language is the key to accessing the richness of diversity and understanding what we mean by the “otherness” that exits in others. It is the means by which we can broaden our own horizons – sample the treasures literature, music, and the spirituality of other cultures and traditions - and in the process, become enriched ourselves. I first fell I love with Spanish, as a schoolgirl in Belfast in the mid 1960’s. Simply immersing myself in Lorca and Machado took me into a new, fascinating landscape, very different from my own yet connected simply through the network that is the human family. Indeed, I couldn’t help feeling that Lorca had a sense of Ireland himself which echoed in his immortal lines “Verde que te quiero verde. Verde viento. Verde ramas. Elbarco sobre la mar y el caballo en la montana - Green how I love you green. Green wind. Green boughs. The ship on the sea and the horse on the mountain”. Yet the fact that I could conjure up an image of Ireland from those words shows that language itself is only the connection with other cultures – you still need to use that link as an avenue to explore Lorca’s landscape – the olive groves, the mountains, the sea. The language is just the window – the point of access.
Since my schooldays in Belfast, I have a great interest in the rich history and culture of Spain. It is a particular pleasure, therefore, for me to be here with you today for “Día de Espana” to share in some of the cultural programme that is being organised by DCU, and I would like to say how delighted I was to have been invited by Dr. Bill Richardson to be with you.
The links between Ireland and Spain go back over many centuries of friendship. I am delighted that there are today thriving cultural, social and economic links which have been strengthen and enhanced by our membership of the European Community. Every year, we see thousands of young Spanish students in Ireland to learn English. And for many Irish people over the last three decades, Spain has been a place of serious pilgrimage for those reluctantly giving up porter and rain for two hard weeks of sun and sangria!
A day like today, which focuses on the life and culture of Spain, will serve to open up some of the windows which I spoke about earlier – and will serve to strengthen the bonds between Ireland and Spain - not only in terms of trade and commerce – but in fields of music and the arts which, in a sense, don’t have the limitations of language, appealing, as they do to the aesthetic sense. I wish you all well for “Día de Espana” and I hope that this year is a continuation of the success you have enjoyed over the years.