REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT IRISH COMMUNITY RECEPTION SHERATON HOTEL, ANKARA
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT IRISH COMMUNITY RECEPTION SHERATON HOTEL, ANKARA TUESDAY 23RD MARCH 2010
Dia dhíbh go léir. Is mor an onóir dom a bheith anseo libh in Ankara inniu.
I would like to thank you for your warm welcome here today. It is the first time that an Irish President has made a visit to Turkey. However, one thing I have noticed is that it is almost impossible for any Irish person to claim to be the first Irish person to visit any place on the globe – no matter how distant from Ireland. So I am delighted but not surprised to see such a vibrant, thriving Irish community here in Turkey. I know that the Irish men and women living and working here in Ankara have done a very good job in paving the way for my visit and I thank you for the sense of goodwill towards Ireland that you have fostered in Turkey. I know that some of you have travelled from further afield in Turkey, and I would like to thank you for coming so far to be here with us today. I would also especially like to welcome those of you who have made the long journey from Azerbaijan to join us.
As so many of our citizens do throughout the world, you act as representatives for Ireland in the various sectors in which you operate - in education, in business, in engaging with the local community and with the Government. Your roles as husbands and wives, teachers and business people help to develop strong and lasting relationships with Turkey and its citizens. As in many parts of the world, you have played an important role in creating a positive image of Ireland and Irish people. In these challenging economic times, the need to sustain Ireland’s good reputation across the globe is greater than ever and, here in Turkey, you are making a wonderful contribution to that endeavour.
I hope you all enjoyed last week's St Patrick's Day celebrations. I know that you celebrated here in Ankara and I’m told that you had a fine St Patrick's Day Ball in Baku. The 17th of March is a day in which the world truly becomes Irish, a day in which we can embrace our culture and character and share it with the world.
Turkey and Ireland share a number of common characteristics - both are young democracies, but each possesses a rich heritage and culture that stretches back for centuries. And while our histories have been different, as Turkish and Irish people, we share a huge sense of pride in our identity and in our tradition. Our countries sit at the opposite ends of Europe, marking the eastern and western points of the continent.
Perhaps one of the common traits most often associated with both of our countries is the friendliness of our people. Both Turkey and Ireland are well-known for our welcoming nature - a characteristic that was highlighted by Lonely Planet last month when both countries were named in the top ten friendliest countries in the world! Irish tourists won't argue with Turkey's placement on the list. With over 100,000 Irish visitors to this country each year since 2008, it is proof that while 'Céad Míle Fáilte' is an Irish saying, it has been put into practice here in Turkey. I see many Turkish faces here today, and I would like to thank you for the friendly hand that is extended to Irish people throughout your beautiful country. I have been warmly welcomed here myself today, by
President Gül and Prime Minister Erdogan, and by many others since my arrival.
Ireland was, of course, an early recipient of friendship and great generosity from these lands. During the Great Famine, Sultan Abdul Mejit sent three ships of food to Ireland to relieve the suffering of the Irish people. A letter of thanks from the Irish people at that time is on display in Topkapi Palace, and I hope to be able to see it when I travel to Istanbul later this week. As the growth in tourism in recent years has shown, this early relationship between Ireland and Turkey has started to expand more rapidly in recent years.
All of you here today, whether Turkish or Irish, play a key role in ensuring that Ireland and Turkey continue to forge new links through business, tourism, and study and cultural exchanges. I thank you for the personal contribution that each of you in your daily lives is making to this enhancement in the Irish-Turkish relationship. I look forward to this strong relationship of friendship and understanding developing still further in the years to come. Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.