The Irish have made their mark all over the world. Following the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum, the Irish government inaugurated the Presidential Distinguished Service Award as a way of recognising their impact on the international stage. Announcing the 12 recipients of this year’s awards, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said: “The contribution of the Irish abroad, in so many … [Read more...] about Distinguished Service Awards
Africa
Into Africa,
Seeing and Believing
We're juggling with numbers here. Every five seconds someone in the world loses his/her sight; a child goes blind every minute. That amounts to seven million cases a year. Add that to 45 million people already blind and another 135 million with limited vision. Patricia Hallahan, regional director with Sight Savers International, confesses she's not very good at figures but … [Read more...] about Into Africa,
Seeing and Believing
Bono’s Oprah Appearance
Bono took his African crusade to the American heartland in September when he appeared for a full hour on Oprah. "If you want to talk to the American people, you come to Oprah," said the singer who talked about his international campaign to wipe out African debt and to increase awareness of the AIDS epidemic there. "I was very humbled to find out that the less time I spent in … [Read more...] about Bono’s Oprah Appearance
Bono’s African Journey
Bono wants a major rethink on U.S. foreign policy regarding Africa. The Dubliner and frontman for U2 feels that aid can work but only if the burden of debt is removed, and he took his argument to U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. When Bob Geldof roused the Western world out of indifference about starvation in Ethiopia, much was made of the fact that he was Irish. The … [Read more...] about Bono’s African Journey