Remarks by President McAleese at the Gala Performance of ‘Doors – Celebrating Lifelong Learning’
Remarks by President McAleese at the Gala Performance of ‘Doors – Celebrating Lifelong Learning’ National Concert Hall
A chairde, tá áthas orm bheith libh trathnona ag an ócáid seo. Go raibh maith agaibh as fáilte fiorchaoin a chur romham.
Some of you may be familiar with the story of Bridget Derrane, who at the age of 102 wrote her best-selling autobiography, Woman of Aran. She had led an eventful life spanning three centuries and two continents, including a spell in Mountjoy prison as an unwilling guest of the Black and Tans. She turned 105 last year and was asked for her observations on life. She answered that sure she was still only learning about it.
And so are we all - only learning about life and about ourselves. But at the heart of that learning there has to be a curiosity, a hunger to know more, an openness to the possibility of change and a willingness to be surprised even by ourselves. Cardinal Newman that great educator, once said that “To be human is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often.”
That suggests a continuum of self-education right throughout life and it is that continuum we are celebrating tonight in this partnership initiative between the world of education and the world of work.
I am particularly delighted to see that this is a joint venture with organisations involved from all over this island, north and south, covering the spectrum of education, industry, business, the public sector and the voluntary sector. I would like to extend my congratulations to all those involved for their vision and hard work in developing this innovative project.
In this generation we have been witnesses to the radical and continuing transformation of Ireland, its people and its fortunes. A vital driver of that transformation lay in unlocking the potential of our people, widening access to education, opening up the channels which have allowed the free-flow of our own genius, our own curiosity.
Our strength is in our people; our future success is in our people. The more people whose talents lie unlocked, whose lives are wasted in under-achievement, who give up on the world and on themselves too early, who fail to understand the opportunity offered by each new day, the more the individual and society are both operating below par. The man or woman who is growing all the time in their own knowledge equity is adding to the sum total of our capabilities as a country. That human knowledge capital will drive our economy, our culture, our politics, our pride as a people and as individuals. The more people we help guide to their fullest potential, the more we contribute to the national human energy grid.
This DOORS initiative is one element in the move towards achieving that goal. The talent we saw this evening gives us great heart and great hope for the future for of course long after tonight’s hard work has faded to memory the work of the DOORS initiative will be continuing. Its work will change lives. Anyone who has taken those first steps back into adult education whether to deal with a problem of literacy or to develop a new skill will tell you of a life into which new energy and enthusiasm has flooded. And new opportunity - new doors opening up.
DOOR’s objective is to create greater awareness within both spheres - education and employment – of the way in which they can complement each other’s efforts, inject that fresh energy and create those new opportunities by supporting a culture of life-long learning on this island. The more the world of work and the world of education talk to each other, listen to each other, plan together and support each other, the better the chances of creating such a culture in which life-long learning is easily accessed and truly celebrated.
Tonight’s show gave us a taste of what we have to look forward to. I know you will join with me in congratulating the wonderful participants and the organisers, on tonight’s performance – and indeed on a number of other performances that are taking place over the next couple of days, North and South.
This presentation is not the end of a story but the beginning - a door opening onto a better future. I wish all of the sponsoring bodies every success with their future work in building up a vibrant network of dynamic partnerships between the worlds of education and business throughout this island. A special word of congratulations to Marks & Spencer, who have played a particularly key role.
Guím gach rath agus séan ar bhur gcuid oibre san am atá le teacht.