Distinguished Guest Ceremony, Mexico

Distinguished Guest Ceremony

Remarks by Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland

City Hall, Mexico City

Wednesday, 23rd October, 2013

Sr. Jefe de Gobierno del Distrito Federal, Dr. Miguel Angel Mancera, Sr. Presidente del Tribunal Superior de Justicia del Distrito Federal, Magistrado Dr. Edgar Elías Azar, Sr. Presidente de la Comisión de Gobierno de la Asamblea Legislativa del Distrito Federal, Diputado Manual Granados Covarrubias,

Deseo expresarles mi profundo agradecimiento por el gran honor que me han concedido al declararme Huésped Distinguido de la Ciudad de México así como por entregarme las Llaves, Medalla y Pergamino de la Ciudad.

[Thank you very much for the great honour which you have bestowed upon me in declaring me a Distinguished Guest of Mexico City, and in presenting to me the Keys, Medal and Parchment of this City.]

Permítanme agradecerles de corazón la cálida bienvenida a su magnífica ciudad que recibimos mi esposa Sabina y yo.

[May I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the warm welcome to your magnificent City that you have extended to my wife Sabina and me.]

Mexico City is truly an extraordinary place. From the most ancient times, across civilizations and cultures, it has been recognized as a place of wonder and marvel. This is reflected in the awe expressed by the famous chronicler of the Cortés era, Bernal Díaz del Castillo, on his arrival at the great Aztec city of Tenochtitlán. He wrote:

“We were astounded...Indeed, some of our soldiers asked whether it was not all a dream...It was all so wonderful that I do not know how to describe this first glimpse of things never heard of, seen or dreamed of before.”

Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera, Mayor of Mexico City and President Michael D. Higgins at a presentation of the Keys to the City declaring President Higgins a distinguished Guest of Mexico City.

It was more than forty-five years ago that I first visited Mexico City – and I still recall the awe I felt then, when confronted with the vibrancy and cultural richness of this City. I passed through Mexico on a number of occasions over the subsequent years, but always too rapidly. Therefore it is a joy to return here as President of Ireland, and be given the time to again be filled with wonder and admiration.

Sr. Jefe de Gobierno del Distrito Federal,

I have had the honour to serve my own city of Galway as Mayor and so I appreciate the value of your distinction in quite a personal way. I will always treasure the importance of receiving this distinction today from Mexico City.

Though Irish and Mexican cities differ so vastly in scale, the call, and indeed the duty, to serve our citizens, and to provide them with quality public services and amenities is a duty that all Municipalities share.

In the stairwell of this beautiful City Hall there is a plaque that bears the exhortation:

“Gobernar a la Ciudad es Servirla” [To Govern the City is to Serve the City]

With this as your guiding principle, I know that you have set an ambitious agenda for this City, aimed at improving the quality of life and services for your citizens. Key public services so important for your citizens’ welfare, such as health, education and security feature prominently, of course, on this agenda. You deserve to be commended on your stated ambitions to deliver greater environmental sustainability, as well as investment in technology and innovation.

One aspect of the responsibilities of this City’s Government that I find easy to highlight, and to comment upon as a former Minister for Culture, is the protection and celebration of your City’s extraordinarily rich heritage and culture. I also greatly admire the way in which you have made them accessible to the young through educational measures in the school system.

The very valuable work that has been done to protect Mexico’s outstanding cultural legacy is recognised on a global level, notably through this City’s inscription in 1987 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Equally important is the appreciation it receives from the tens of thousands of visitors who spend time here exploring the treasures of your pre-Colombian, colonial and more modern heritage, as well as your extraordinarily vibrant offering in the contemporary arts.

No visitor can be unmoved by the Zócalo, the sheer scale and majesty of its breathtaking architecture. The preservation work carried out on the centro histórico has opened up this area to many more visitors. This beautiful building in which we are gathered, a survivor of fire and earthquakes, is a glowing statement of Mexico’s resilience and a testament to its history and identity.

We Irish are proud to have played a role in your City’s history and I am delighted that our contribution is still commemorated.

The Angel of Independence – El Ángel de la Independencia – that iconic symbol of the city of Mexico, holds a commemorative plaque to William Lamport who was born in Co. Wexford, in Ireland, in 1615. Though sentenced by the Inquisition for heresy, his real crime in the eyes of his accusers had been to author the first declaration of independence, a remarkable document that called for equality of opportunity for all.

We also recall the gallant Irishmen of the Batallón de San Patricio who fought alongside their Mexican

comrades in the war of 1846-1848, valiantly defending Mexico City, only being finally defeated at the Battle of Churubusco. Each year, their sacrifice is commemorated at the Museo de las Intervenciones in Coyoacán, the site of the Battle of Churubusco, and at the Plaza San Jacinto in San Ángel, where many of these men were executed.

Deseo expresarle a usted y a sus colegas del gobierno de la Ciudad, mi profundo aprecio por el honor que rinden a estos irlandeses, Los San Patricios, por su coraje y el aporte que realizaron a su patria adoptiva. Por el hecho de que los conmemoran con respetuosas ceremonias cada mes de septiembre, los irlandeses les estamos muy agradecidos.

[I wish to express my deep appreciation to you and to your colleagues in the Government of this City for the honour which you pay to these Irishmen – ‘los San Patricios’ – for their courage and the resulting contribution they made to their adopted ‘Patria.’ For the respectful ceremonies held every September, we Irish are very grateful.]

In the modern era, many Irish educators, artists and musicians, as well as business people, have called Mexico City home. On the surface, because of the differences in scale, it may seem as though Mexico City and the cities of Ireland have little in common, but one needs only to spend a short time in our respective cities to be struck by a deep affinity – a personal warmth, a respect for history and a passion for culture which are shared by the people of Mexico and Ireland.

I am departing Mexico City this afternoon, but the past few days have been very special to me. I have made new friends and met old ones, including the children of Roberto Barnstone and Anne Bauer, who first introduced me to Mexican life. I have learned an immense amount, have revisited past memories and will leave with a vibrant set of new ones.

Today Mexico is a dynamic country that is recognized internationally as being committed to playing a full part in the global arena – not just economically but through its contribution to working in partnership with the international community in tackling the enormous challenges facing us all – the fight against climate change, against poverty, hunger and malnutrition; the promotion of human rights and of a more equal global society.

Reitero mi agradecimiento al gobierno del Distrito Federal y al pueblo de esta Ciudad por la calidez de su recepción y mi deseo para el mayor de los éxitos con sus ambiciosos planes para la Ciudad.

Muchísimas Gracias.

[May I, once again thank the Gobierno del Distrito Federal and the people of this City for the warmth of their reception, and to wish you every success with your ambitious plans for this City.

Thank you.]