ADDRESS OF THE LITHUANIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRELAND H.E. VIDMANTAS PURLYS AT THE LAUNCH OF THE DIVERSITY TOOLKIT “EQUALLY DIFFERENT, 25 May, Cavan
ADDRESS OF THE LITHUANIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRELAND H.E. VIDMANTAS PURLYS AT THE LAUNCH OF THE DIVERSITY TOOLKIT “EQUALLY DIFFERENT”
The Hotel Kilmore, Dublin Road, Cavan
25 May, 2011
Chairman of the Cavan County Council, Councillor Dessie Boylan,
County Manager Jack Keyes,
Members of the Dail,
Councillors,
Ladies and Gentleman,
I am very happy to be here today to formally launch the Diversity Toolkit, entitled ‘Equally Different’. It is very welcome when we see organisations and communities actively seeking to address and tackle racism and sectarianism within their locality, rather then just letting them manifest and grow. This toolkit offers vital information on these issues along with practical tips and exercises on how these issues can be addressed and tackled. The toolkit also offers information on best-practice case- studies, as well as useful national and local contacts and resources.
I would like to commend the group of organisations who worked on putting this toolkit together. These include representatives from:
- Cavan Local Authorities
- Breffni Integrated Ltd
- HSE
- Cavan Citizens Information Service
- An Garda Siochana
- County Cavan VEC
- Cavan Multicultural Network
- Irish Traveller Movement
- Border Minority Group & Cadolemo
I would ask all groups and organisations to avail of this toolkit and try out some of the exercises found within it. It offers an important way of not just learning more around these issues but it also offers the opportunity to learn more about prejudices and stereotypes which we hold ourselves, perhaps without even realising it. The information workshop on providing equality training will offer further assistance to groups in preparing to do this.
I would also like to join those who already commended the efforts of all those individuals and group who were involved in developing the Co Cavan Multicultural Network and the Strategic Plan. This is a very useful and important framework of the cross-community support in the multicultural environment, which, I believe, is particularly relevant in more difficult economic climate.
I also wish to acknowledge the contribution of Donata Simonaitiene and her colleagues from the Lithuanian community in Cavan for the community work that they were carrying out over the last number of years, and, indeed, their contribution to the development of the Network.
Thank you.
ENDS
