REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS/SENIOR CITIZENS ENCOUNTER
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS/SENIOR CITIZENS ENCOUNTER AT ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN
A chairde, cuireann sé áthas orm agus ar mo fhear chéile, Mairtín, fáilte a chur romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin inniu.
Martin and I would like to extend a very warm welcome to each and every one of you to this get-together of senior citizens and secondary school students at the Áras today. I know that many of you have travelled long distances to be here and I hope that you are not too tired to enjoy the afternoon’s activities. I would like to thank you all for the wonderful collages that you have sent to me, and the manner in which you have captured this year’s schools encounter theme of ‘Extending the Hand of Friendship’. Most of all, I am looking forward to hearing the stories about the links which each group has forged between the generations, the friendships that have been built up, and what it has meant for all of you.
Since my inauguration, we have been overwhelmed by the number of schools and colleges, community groups and people of all ages that have expressed interest in coming to see the Áras. One of the great privileges of being President is the opportunity it gives me to meet so many people of different backgrounds and points of view and ways of looking at the world – and also to provide the opportunity for those people to meet each other. Strangely enough, one of the widest gaps in today’s world can be that between the generations. We see each other every day, and yet there aren’t actually that many opportunities for young and older people to really get to know each other, work with each other, find out how much they have to offer each other. That’s a great pity, because it means that so much of potential value can get lost along the way. Those friendships can be a source of such enrichment and enjoyment for everyone, opening up doors to new experiences. The energy, imagination and optimism of the young can do so much to inspire and refresh those who are older, encouraging them to develop new skills, new ideas, maybe even have a go on the Internet.
But it’s not just a one-way street. Older people often possess that most valuable of all resources in today’s world: Time. The time to listen, to talk, to encourage, just to be there. It is sometimes said that there’s nothing new under the sun. Of course there is constant change in some ways, but what doesn’t change all that much is people’s hopes, needs, fears and dreams. Older people have lived through all the insecurities and expectations of the teenage years. They have vast reservoirs of knowledge and distilled experience, just waiting to be tapped into by those just embarking on life’s journey.
Our society needs both sides, young and old, to be able to talk to each other, rely on each other, value each other. And together, there is so much that you can do to help others within your communities who are also in need of friendship, understanding and support.
I look forward to going around to your tables in a few minutes and meeting you all. I hope that all of you will also take this opportunity to get to know a few other people – that’s why we’re all here. I would like to say a very special thank you to our MC for today, Stephen Holland, and our wonderful pianist, Greg Davey. I hope that you all have a most enjoyable afternoon and bring home great memories from this visit to the Áras.
Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.