PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins will hold the first of his Presidency Seminars at Áras an Uachtaráin today.

The seminar will also launch the Being Young and Irish 2012 report, to which almost 800 young people contributed this year.

Seminar

One hundred young people will attend this final part of the consultation on Being Young and Irish 2012, and a seminar in Áras an Uachtaráin today.

The day will culminate with young people presenting the ‘Take Charge of Change’ declaration to the President and his guests.

Earlier this year, the President invited young people to tell him about their vision for Ireland and how that vision might be achieved. They were encouraged to do that in whatever format they preferred, be it through prose, poetry, song, video and/or audio.

The President then ran four regional workshops with young people in Dublin, Cork, Monaghan and Galway, where he met with young people and they worked with a team of professional facilitators to explore and discuss their ideas around Ireland’s future.

Report

A team of DIT researchers is currently analysing the contributions and compiling the Being Young and Irish 2012 Report. The report, which will be published on www.president.ie and delivered to the appropriate Government authorities and agencies, will form the basis for a final ‘Take Charge of Change’ Declaration which will be presented by young people today.

Further seminars will take place throughout President Higgins’ seven year term on topics such as global issues, the importance of the ethical connection between politics, economy, development and society.

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