EuroChild         bbermingham@corkcity.ie    www.bbermingham.com

SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY LORD MAYOR OF CORK

COUNCILLOR BRIAN BERMINGHAM

AT LAUNCH OF BOOK, EURO CHILD 2001,

AT TIGH FILI, Mac CURTAIN STREET, CORK,

ON FRIDAY 22nd. JUNE, 2001.

Ladies and Gentlemen and, of course, our very important younger guests, who are the reason for our being here this evening,

I am delighted to represent the City of Cork as Deputy Lord Mayor, at this great venue.

Tigh Fili

Tigh Filí, started out as a venture in 1985 by

Máire Bradshaw, and others, as

The Cork Women's Poetry Circle (CWPC).

From its origins, as a group of women interested in writing, performing and publishing poetry, it has grown into an organisation, a centre for the arts.

§      It aims to facilitate writers and artists, both new and established to showcase their work in a friendly environment with plenty of advice and assistance available from staff who themselves include poets, writers and artists.

§      It is a  publishing house under the imprint “ Bradshaw Books providing a much-needed opportunity for established and emerging writers to publish their work.

You play a vital role in the cultural life of Cork with activities of interest to the whole community.

I wish you every success, in your role as a facilitator for learning and the arts, in the years to come.

This Irish launch of the publication, Euro child 2001,is an event, giving us an opportunity, to reflect on the Child and the Childs development in the 21centuary.

Ø  It is an occasion to mark the public availability of an anthology of the poetry and artwork of the children of Europe.

Ø  It is an occasion in which we can marvel at the literary, poetic and artistic creativity, the depth of observation and sensitivity and the sheer honesty of young children.

Ø  It is an occasion to develop a European sense of family & consciousness in our Irish ness into which our children will grow and lead one day.

Ø  It is an occasion to reflect on our role as a people in our Global Village giving our children examples in “best practice” in the care and responsibilities to our Planet Earth.

Ø  It is a moment for us to reflect on our precious resource, our children.

§      We recall that, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has proclaimed that childhood is entitled to special care and assistance,

§      We recall that this right to special care and assistance, has been stated

1.  In the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1924 and

2.  In the Declaration of the Rights of the Child adopted by the General Assembly 1959 and

3.  In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

4.  In the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and

5.  In the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and

6.  In the statutes and relevant instruments of specialized international agencies concerned with the welfare of children.

In the Declaration of the Rights of the Child,

"the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth",

Yet despite, all of this, thttp://app-netaid.netlojix.com/SayYes/en/vote/index_htmloo many of the world's children suffer to day the effects of war, poverty, sickness, discrimination and abuse.

“Say Yes for Children” is a global campaign that reaches into every part of the world,

To mobilize people from all walks of life, around the issues that affect children's lives –

It facilitates us, via the web, to send a message to the world's leaders to say YES

§      Say YES to the family, as the fundamental group in society and the natural environment for the growth and well being of all its members and particularly children.

§      The Family should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance enabling it to carry its responsibilities.

§      Say YES for the full and harmonious development of the Childs personality, growing up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding,

§      Say YES to the child being brought up in the spirit and ideals of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity,

§      Say YES to the child being fully prepared, to live an individual life in society taking due account of the importance of the traditions and cultural values of that child.

§      Say YES, that children living in exceptionally difficult conditions, should be entitled to special consideration and help.

Irish people then say YES,

In recognizing the importance of international

co-operation for improving the living conditions of children in every country and in particular in the developing countries-

And pledge support, in a variety of ways.

Euro child 2001

Euro child 2001, is an example of the support given to the harmonious nurturing and development of the child up to the age of 12 years from 16 European countries

The very concept of Euro child, I understand originated right here in Cork with an exploratory but very successful book of child art and poetry on the Famine theme.  

The idea has now been adopted as a European project in association with Euro Ecole based at Nantes in France, so close to our twinned city of Rennes.

I am aware that your Euro child counterparts in Nantes, which is simultaneously launching the book with Cork, have developed a very specialised festival to celebrate the creativity of children from all over Europe.

As a publication Euro child 2001 is quite unique in that

·      It is totally child-centred and no agenda was placed before the young writers.

·      Instead, they were facilitated to write on topics that inspired them and were given total freedom to express themselves.

·      It is a book that unifies the children of Europe in a very unique way but in so doing, brings us all together, adults and children, from the four corners of the continent, from

Estonia and the Czech Republic in the east, to Ireland in the west.

Malta in the south to Finland in the north.

The launch of this book then is very significant in many ways  

·      I am delighted to have this opportunity on behalf of the people of Cork to thank Maire Bradshaw, Aisling Lyons and all the people who made this project possible for their vision and dedication.

·      I am delighted, too, that Cork Corporation has seen the potential of the Euro child project and allocated some funding. 

·      However, I believe there is now a clear case for substantial funding from the Department of Education and other State agencies, including the National Lottery.

·      It would enable the Euro child concept to develop to its full potential as a national project in Ireland located in Cork.

The clear evidence of that potential is here before us this evening.

Ø  Thank you children for participating, your work is wonderful, and I hope you have learned a great deal, and you will make many European and world friends over the next few years.

Ø  And may I wish euro-child, every success.

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