Ireland’s President in Russia

President of the Republic of Ireland has begun her official visit to Russia, first-ever in the history of both countries. According to President McAleese, her visit aims at deepening and strengthening of political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries. One of the first events on Ms. McAleese’s 5-day programme was a seminar on the development of nanotechnologies in Russia on the 8th that she and General Director of ROSNANO Anatoly Chubais opened together. 

The seminar was organised by ROSNANO and the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Russian and Irish researchers and businessmen discussed opportunities for cooperation in international nanotechnology business projects.

Greeting Ms. McAleese at the conference the head of ROSNANO Anatoly Chubais said ROSNANO and SFI are complementary at different stages of the movement of what he called “international innovation elevator.” He added that Russia is interested in learning from Ireland pragmatic and efficient state policies in the area of innovations.

In turn, President McAleese called the seminar “the beginning of productive and dynamic dialogue of both countries’ communities of scientists and researchers, with both countries standing to profit from this dialogue.” She emphasised that scientific and technological achievements do not occur of themselves. Their creators need to be systematically encouraged and funded, and this requires courage of the scientific community, business, industries and the state.”

Economists note that it was exactly the policies of state regulation and encouragement of entrepreneurship in the hi-tech  area explains the breakthrough Ireland made in the 1990s, when after having been rated as one of Europe’s poorest countries, it turned into one of the top 5 European economies in terms of per capita GDP. That was the result of focusing on the production of high-technology products followed by extending services sector. 

To quote an interview Ms. McAleese gave to ITAR-TASS news agency before she arrived in Moscow, she was eager to meet President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss ways of widening mutual cooperation. President McAleese will also deliver a lecture at the Foreign Ministry’s Diplomatic Academy entitled “Russia and Ireland in the 21st Century”. Another lecture is slated for the State University of Economics and Finances in St.Petersburg. Ms. McAleese will also meet with Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, mayors of Moscow and St.Petersburg “to develop relations between Dublin and these two great cities.” 

The cultural programme of the visit is also very intense. Ms. McAlesse brings here companies of singers and dancers who will stage concerts, and great Irish piano player Mihel O’Rourke will perform music by John Field at the Hermitage in St.Petersburg. 

The Irish, Ms.McAleese continued, have long admired the great contribution Russia has made to the world’s music and literature. Personally, she is a great lover of poet Anna Akhmatova, so visiting her native town will be of interest to her.