NUI Galway Welcomes President of Croatia during State Visit

President of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
Apr 05 2017 Posted: 14:05 IST

Students to Engage with Her Excellency, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on European Matters during President’s Address at NUI Galway

 NUI Galway today welcomed President of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, as part of the official State visit to Ireland. The President’s visit to Galway is particularly celebratory as the city which, together with Rijeka, was designated the European Capital of Culture 2020. The visit will also be an opportunity for the President to meet some of the Croatian community at the University.

NUI Galway President, Dr Jim Browne, speaking in advance of the official visit, said:  

“It is a great pleasure to announce the visit of President Grabar-Kitarović to NUI Galway, where she will engage with students and academics on a range of programmes from across the campus. We look forward to welcoming her and the Croatian delegation to the University. As the newest member of the European Union, this visit is a welcome opportunity to hear from the Croatian President and this dynamic young European state at a time when European ideals are being tested. Ireland and Croatia share much, not least the cultural bonds which will be further developed over the coming years, during the lead-up to 2020 when Galway and Rijeka , (home town of President Grabar-Kitarovic) will share the title of European Capital of Culture.”

The visit to NUI Galway will include an address by President Grabar-Kitarovic to students and academics, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Professor Brian Hughes, Dean of International Affairs, NUI Galway. Among the topics of discussion will be: International Relations; Brexit and the Future of the European Union; Global Women's Studies; Geo-politics of South Eastern Europe; the Role of Croatia within Europe; Migration, Culture and Identity in Europe; and Peace-building & International Human Rights.

As part of the visit a showcase of Galway European Region of Gastronomy will take place in conjunction with Galway City and County Councils, featuring local artisanal food producers.

As part of the State Visit the Croatian President held working meetings with her host President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins and also with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D., and members of the Croatian-Irish Friendship Group.

The Croatian delegation will be accompanied by Minister of State, Seán Canney, T.D., the Ambassador of Croatia to Ireland, Mr Ivan Masina and the Ambassador of Ireland to Croatia, Her Excellency Olive Hempenstall.

About President Grabar-Kitarović

President Grabar-Kitarović was born 29 April 1968 in Rijeka, where she attended primary school. She completed secondary school in Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America.

In 1993, she obtained a degree in English and Spanish from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb, and in addition completed further education in Portuguese. In 1994, she completed the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna and in 2000 obtained her Master's degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb. From 2002 to 2003, she was a Fulbright scholar on pre-doctoral research in international relations and security policy at the George Washington University, United States of America. At the time she was awarded the President’s Medal for scientific, social and political work. She was also a Lukšić Fellow in Senior Managers in Government Executive Program at the J.F.K. School of Government at Harvard in 2009.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović began her career in 1992 in the Ministry of Science and Technology and in 1993 moved on to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she held various positions – in 1995 she was Head of Department for North America, in 1997 she worked as Counsellor in the Croatian Embassy in Canada, later as Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission.

From 2001 to 2003, she was Minister Counsellor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in November 2003 was elected Member of Parliament in the 7th electoral district. The same year, she was sworn in as Minister of European Integration, and in 2005 as Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, office she held until 2008. The major objective of her term was to lead Croatia on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration and she was Head of the State Delegation for Negotiations on the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

In 2008, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović became Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the United States of America. In 2011, she was appointed NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Public Diplomacy, position she held until 2014, as the first woman Assistant Secretary-General ever in the history of NATO and the highest ranking woman in NATO.

She is married and mother of two. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese and has some command of Italian, French and German.

ENDS

Cuireann OÉ Gaillimh fáilte roimh Uachtarán na Cróite le linn Cuairt Stáit

Mic léinn le labhairt lena Soilse, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović faoi Chúrsaí Eorpacha le linn Óráid an Uachtaráin in OÉ Gaillimh

Chuir OÉ Gaillimh fáilte roimh Uachtarán Phoblacht na Cróite, an tUasal Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, inniú mar chuid den Chuairt Stáit oifigiúil ar Éirinn. Is cúis ceiliúrtha ar leith é cuairt an Uachtaráin ar Ghaillimh mar gur ainmníodh an chathair, mar aon le Rijeka, mar Phríomhchathair Chultúir na hEorpa 2020. Deis a bheidh sa chuairt ag an Uachtarán chomh maith casadh le cuid de phobal na Cróite san Ollscoil.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an Dr Jim Browne, agus é ag labhairt roimh an gcuairt oifigiúil:  

“Is mór an onóir é cuairt an Uachtaráin Grabar-Kitarović ar OÉ Gaillimh a fhógairt, áit a labhróidh sí le mic léinn agus le lucht acadúil ar réimse clár ar fud an champais. Táimid ag tnúth le fáilte a chur roimpi agus roimh an toscaireacht Chrótach chuig an Ollscoil. Mar an ball is nuaí den Aontas Eorpach, is deis mhaith í an chuairt seo cloisteáil ó Uachtarán na Cróite agus an stát óg dinimiciúil Eorpach seo ag tráth a bhfuil idéil na hEorpa á dtástáil.  Tá go leor cosúlachtaí idir Éirinn agus an Chróit, na naisc chultúrtha go háirithe a fhorbrófar tuilleadh sna blianta amach romhainn, ag druidim le 2020 nuair a roinnfidh Gaillimh agus Rijeka, (baile dúchais an Uachtaráin Grabar-Kitarovic) teideal Príomhchathair Chultúir na hEorpa.

Mar chuid den chuairt ar OÉ Gaillimh tabharfaidh an tUachtarán Grabar-Kitarovic óráid uaithi do mhic léinn agus do lucht acadúil, agus ina dhiaidh sin beidh seisiún ceisteanna agus freagraí faoi stiúir an Ollaimh Brian Hughes, an Déan Gnóthaí Idirnáisiúnta, OÉ Gaillimh. I measc na n-ábhar cainte beidh: Caidreamh Idirnáisiúnta; Breatimeacht agus Todhchaí an Aontais Eorpaigh; Léann Domhanda na mBan; Geopholaitíocht Oirdheisceart na hEorpa; Ról na Cróite laistigh den Eoraip; Imirce, Cultúr agus Aitheantas san Eoraip; Cothú na Síochána & Cearta Daonna Idirnáisiúnta.

Mar chuid den chuairt beidh sárthaispeántas de Ghaillimh mar Réigiún Gastranamaíochta na hEorpa ar siúl i gcomhar le Comhairlí Cathrach agus Contae na Gaillimhe, áit a mbeidh táirgeoirí áitiúla bia ag taispeáint a gcuid earraí.

Mar chuid den Chuairt Stáit bhí cruinnithe ag Uachtarán na Cróite le hUachtarán na hÉireann, Micheál D. Ó hUigínn agus leis an Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D., agus le baill de Ghrúpa Cairdis na Cróite-na hÉireann.

 

In éineacht le toscaireacht na Cróite beidh an tAire Stáit, Seán Canney, T.D., Ambasadóir na Cróite chuig Éirinn, an tUasal Ivan Masina agus Ambasadóir na hÉireann chun na Cróite, a Soilse Olive Hempenstall.

 

Eolas faoin Uachtarán Grabar-Kitarović

Rugadh an tUachtarán Grabar-Kitarovic ar an 29 Aibreán 1968 in Rijeka, áit ar fhreastail sí ar an mbunscoil. D’fhreastail sí ar an meánscoil in Los Alamos, Meicsiceo Nua, Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá.

Sa bhliain 1993, bhain sí céim amach sa Bhéarla agus sa Spáinnis ó Dhámh na Fealsúnachta, Ollscoil Shágraib, agus rinne sí breis staidéir ar an bPortaingéilis. Sa bhliain 1994, chríochnaigh sí an tAcadamh Dioplómaitiúil i Vín agus sa bhliain 2000 bhain sí céim Mháistreachta amach i gCaidrimh Idirnáisiúnta ó Dhámh na hEolaíochta Polaitiúla, Ollscoil Shágraib. Idir 2002 agus 2003, ba scoláire Fulbright a bhí inti ar thaighde réamhdhochtúireachta i gcaidrimh idirnáisiúnta agus polasaí slándála in Ollscoil George Washington, Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá. Ag an am bronnadh Bonn an Uachtaráin d’obair eolaíoch, shóisialta agus pholaitiúil uirthi. Ba Chomhalta Lukšić chomh maith í i mBainisteoirí Sinsearacha i gClár Feidhmiúcháin Rialtais i Scoil Rialtais J.F.K. in Harvard in 2009.

Chuir Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović tús lena gairm in 1992 san Aireacht Eolaíochta agus Teicneolaíochta agus in 1993 bhog sí go dtí an Aireacht Gnóthaí Eachtracha áit a raibh cúpla ról aici – in 1995 bhí sí ina Ceann Roinne do Mheiriceá Thuaidh, in 1997 d’oibrigh sí mar Chomhairleoir in Ambasáid na Cróite i gCeanada, agus ina dhiaidh sin mar Aire-Comhairleoir agus Leas-Cheannaire Misin.

Ó 2001 go 2003, bhí sí ina hAire-Comhairle san Aireacht Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus i mí na Samhna 2003 toghadh í ina Teachta Parlaiminte sa seachtú toghcheantar. An bhliain chéanna, rinneadh Aire Lánpháirtíochta Eorpaí di, agus in 2005 ghlac sí oifig mar Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Lánpháirtíochta Eorpaí, agus bhí sí sa ról sin go dtí 2008. Ba é príomhchuspóir a téarma an Chróit a threorú i dtreo lánpháirtiú Eorpach-Atlantach agus bhí sí ina Ceannaire ar an Toscaireacht Stáit d’Idirbheartaíochtaí ar Aontachas Phoblacht na Cróite leis an Aontas Eorpach.

In 2008, ghlac Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović leis an ról mar Ambasadóir Phoblacht na Cróite chuig Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá. In 2011, ceapadh í ina hArd-Rúnaí Cúnta NATO do Thaidhleoireacht Phoiblí, ról a bhí aici go dtí 2014, agus í ar an gcéad bhean a bhí i ról Ard-Rúnaí Cúnta riamh i stair NATO agus an bhean ba shinsearaí in NATO.

Tá sí pósta agus tá beirt chlainne uirthi. Tá sí líofa sa Bhéarla, sa Spáinnis agus sa Phortaingéilis agus tá cumas áirithe aici san Iodáilis, sa Fhraincis agus sa Ghearmáinis.

 CRÍOCH

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