Diary | President Delivers The 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="no-js" lang="en" > <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> <title> Diary | President Delivers The 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture | President of Ireland </title> <meta name="DC.Title" content=" Diary President Delivers The 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture "> <meta name="description" content='Uachtar&amp;aacute;n na h&amp;Eacute;ireann, President Michael D. Higgins this afternoon delivered the 2024 Kofi Annan Eminent Speakers&amp;rsquo; Lecture in a live online event from the State&amp;hellip;'> <meta name="DC.Subject" content='Uachtar&amp;aacute;n na h&amp;Eacute;ireann, President Michael D. Higgins this afternoon delivered the 2024 Kofi Annan Eminent Speakers&amp;rsquo; Lecture in a live online event from the State&amp;hellip;''>  <meta property="og:url" content="https://president.ie/index.php/en/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:title" content='President delivers the 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture | President of Ireland' /> <meta property="og:description" content='Uachtar&amp;aacute;n na h&amp;Eacute;ireann, President Michael D. Higgins this afternoon delivered the 2024 Kofi Annan Eminent Speakers&amp;rsquo; Lecture in a live online event from the State&amp;hellip;' /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://president.ie/assets/images/contact-us-header.jpg" /> <meta name="geo.region" content="IE-D"> <meta name="geo.placename" content="Dublin"> <meta name="geo.position" content="53.359407;-6.317439"> <meta name="ICBM" content="53.359407, -6.317439"> <meta name="DC.Creator" content="Office of the President of Ireland"> <meta name="DC.Language" content="en"> <meta name="DC.Format" content="text/html"> <meta name="DC.Rights" content="漏 Office of the President of Ireland"> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow,archive"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">  <meta name="theme-color" content="#002C42"> <link rel="manifest" href="https://president.ie/manifest.json">  <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="57x57" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="114x114" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="60x60" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="76x76" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="152x152" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png" /> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/favicon-196x196.png" sizes="196x196" /> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/favicon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96" /> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32" /> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16" /> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://president.ie/assets/icons/favicon-128.png" sizes="128x128" /> <meta name="application-name" content="President IE" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#FFFFFF" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://president.ie/assets/icons/mstile-144x144.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-square70x70logo" content="https://president.ie/assets/icons/mstile-70x70.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-square150x150logo" content="https://president.ie/assets/icons/mstile-150x150.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-wide310x150logo" content="https://president.ie/assets/icons/mstile-310x150.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-square310x310logo" content="https://president.ie/assets/icons/mstile-310x310.png" />  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.4.1/css/bootstrap.min.css"> <script data-cfasync="false" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.5.1/jquery.min.js"></script> <script data-cfasync="false" src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.4.1/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://president.ie/assets/css/popup.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://president.ie/assets/css/main.css?ver=1.0.5"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.typekit.net/ckb4yua.css">  <script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=AIzaSyDqDjy6fSD__J0LmSxrWLcqyyZS1wmqkmM" defer></script>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-1BEZX3B3MZ"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-1BEZX3B3MZ'); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/cookieconsent2/3.0.3/cookieconsent.min.css" /> <script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/cookieconsent2/3.0.3/cookieconsent.min.js"></script> <script> window.addEventListener("load", function() { window.cookieconsent.initialise({ "palette": { "popup": { "background": "#002c42" }, "button": { "background": "transparent", "text": "#ffffff", "border": "#ffffff" } }, "position": "bottom", "content": { "message": "By using the 脕ras an Uachtar谩in website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our", "dismiss": "I understand!", "link": "cookie policy", "href": "https://president.ie/about/privacy-policy" } }) }); </script> <script> (function(h, o, t, j, a, r) { h.hj = h.hj || function() { (h.hj.q = h.hj.q || []).push(arguments) }; h._hjSettings = { hjid: 52242, hjsv: 5 }; a = o.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]; r = o.createElement('script'); r.async = 1; r.src = t + h._hjSettings.hjid + j + h._hjSettings.hjsv; a.appendChild(r); })(window, document, '//static.hotjar.com/c/hotjar-', '.js?sv='); </script> <script> (function(b, o, i, l, e, r) { b.GoogleAnalyticsObject = l; b[l] || (b[l] = function() { (b[l].q = b[l].q || []).push(arguments) }); b[l].l = +new Date; e = o.createElement(i); r = o.getElementsByTagName(i)[0]; e.src = '//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js'; r.parentNode.insertBefore(e, r) }(window, document, 'script', 'ga')); ga('create', 'UA-32126284-1'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> </head> <body > <div class="off-canvas-wrapper"> <div class="off-canvas position-left" id="president-primary-off-canvas" data-off-canvas> <ul class="vertical menu drilldown c-mobile-menu" data-drilldown data-back-button='<li class="js-drilldown-back"><a class="back-link">Back</a></li>'> <li><a href="https://president.ie/">Home</a></li> <li> <a href="#">President in Office</a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="#"> The President </a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/michael-d-higgins"> Michael D. Higgins </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/vision-for-presidency"> Vision for Presidency </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie//sabina-higgins"> Sabina Higgins </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#"> Role and Function </a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/constitutional-role"> Constitutional Role </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/work-in-ireland"> Work in Ireland </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/international-role"> international role </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#"> Former Presidents </a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president}/mary-mcaleese"> Mary McAleese </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/mary-robinson"> Mary Robinson </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/patrick-j-hillery"> Patrick J. Hillery </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/cearbhail-o-dalaigh"> Cearbhail 脫 D谩laigh </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/erskine-childers"> Erskine Childers </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/eamon-devalera"> Eamon DeValera </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/sean-t-oceallaigh"> Sean T. O'Ceallaigh </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/douglas-hyde"> Douglas Hyde </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/2019"> Special Initiatives </a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/participation-and-transformation"> Participation & Transformation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/imagination-and-the-nation"> Imagination and the Nation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/shared-ireland-shared-island"> Shared Ireland, Shared Island </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#"> Special Initiatives 2011 - 2018 </a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie//special-initiatives-2011-2018/ethics"> Ethics </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie//special-initiatives-2011-2018/the-lock-out"> The Lock Out </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie//special-initiatives-2011-2018/glaoch"> Glaoch </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie//special-initiatives-2011-2018/being-young-and-irish"> Being Young and Irish </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/public-art-project"> Public Art Project </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/presidential-seminars/machnamh-100"> Machnamh 100 </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/council-of-state"> Council of State </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/presidential-commission"> Presidential Commission </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/2024-legislation"> Legislation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/interactive-timeline"> Timeline of the Presidency </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/">President's Diary</a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/"> This Week's Engagements </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/past-engagements"> Past Engagements </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/featured-engagements"> Featured Engagements </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#">Multimedia & Speeches</a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/all-media"> All Media </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/photos"> Photos </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/video"> Video </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/audio"> Audio </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/speeches"> Speeches </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/news-releases"> News Releases </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/publications"> Publications </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#">Visit & Explore</a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/virtual-tour"> Virtual Tour </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/official-residence"> Official Residence </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/the-house"> The House </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/the-gardens"> The Gardens </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/tours-visits"> Tours & Visits </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/tilley-lamp"> Tilley Lamp </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#">About</a> <ul class="menu vertical nested"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/organisational-information"> Organisational Information </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/your-questions-answered"> Your Questions Answered </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/centenarian-bounty"> Centenarian Bounty </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/contact-us"> Contact Us </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/visiting-aras-an-uachtarain"> Find Us </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/childrens-section">Children's Section</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="off-canvas-content" data-off-canvas-content> <header class="hide-for-medium c-site-header"> <section class="e-mobile-menu"> <button type="button" class="e-mobile-menu-btn" data-toggle="president-primary-off-canvas"> Menu </button> </section> <section class="e-site__logo" title="Ar谩s an Uachtar谩n homepage"> <a href="https://president.ie/"><img src="https://president.ie/assets/images/harp.png" alt="Golden Harp Logo"></a> </section> <section class="e-language-switch"> <a href="https://president.ie/index.php/?ACT=70&site_id=1&lang_id=1&url=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzaWRlbnQuaWUvaW5kZXgucGhwL2VuL2RpYXJ5L2RldGFpbHMvcHJlc2lkZW50LWRlbGl2ZXJzLXRoZS0yMDI0LWtvZmktYW5uYW4tbGVjdHVyZQ==" hreflang="en" rel="alternate">English</a> / <a href="https://president.ie/index.php/?ACT=70&site_id=1&lang_id=2&url=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzaWRlbnQuaWUvaW5kZXgucGhwL2VuL2RpYXJ5L2RldGFpbHMvcHJlc2lkZW50LWRlbGl2ZXJzLXRoZS0yMDI0LWtvZmktYW5uYW4tbGVjdHVyZQ==" hreflang="ga" rel="alternate">Gaeilge</a> </section> </header> <header class="show-for-medium c-site-header"> <section class="c-site-header__top"> <div class="row" data-equalizer> <div class="columns medium-8" data-equalizer-watch> <a href="https://president.ie/"> <div class="e-site__logo" title="Ar谩s an Uachtar谩n homepage"> <img src="https://president.ie/assets/images/harp.png" alt="Golden Harp Logo"> </div> <div class="e-site__title">President of Ireland</div> </a> </div> <div class="columns medium-4 c-site-header-search-and-langs" data-equalizer-watch> <div class="search-wrapper"> <form class="search-form active" id="search" name="search" role="search" method="post" action="https://president.ie/index.php/en/"> <div class="hiddenFields"> <input type="hidden" name="params" value="eyJyZXN1bHRfcGFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9wcmVzaWRlbnQuaWVcL2luZGV4LnBocFwvZW5cL3Jlc3VsdHMifQ"><input type="hidden" name="ACT" value="76"><input type="hidden" name="site_id" value="1"><input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="abf51608f2c872a5c98237d67a3243875a030c81"></div> <label for="keywords" class="show-for-sr">Enter Keywords</label> <input class="search-input" placeholder="Search" type="text" value="" name="keywords" id="keywords"><button class="search-submit" name="search-submit" type="submit"> <span class="show-for-sr">Search</span><span class="icon-search"></span> </button> </form> </div> <div class="lang-and-text"> <span class="lang"> <a href="https://president.ie/index.php/?ACT=70&site_id=1&lang_id=1&url=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzaWRlbnQuaWUvaW5kZXgucGhwL2VuL2RpYXJ5L2RldGFpbHMvcHJlc2lkZW50LWRlbGl2ZXJzLXRoZS0yMDI0LWtvZmktYW5uYW4tbGVjdHVyZQ==">English</a> / <a href="https://president.ie/index.php/?ACT=70&site_id=1&lang_id=2&url=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzaWRlbnQuaWUvaW5kZXgucGhwL2VuL2RpYXJ5L2RldGFpbHMvcHJlc2lkZW50LWRlbGl2ZXJzLXRoZS0yMDI0LWtvZmktYW5uYW4tbGVjdHVyZQ==">Gaeilge</a> </span> <span class="font-size"><a href="#" class="decrease-font-size">A-</a> / <a href="#" class="increase-font-size">A+</a></span> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="c-site-header__bottom"> <div class="row small-collapse"> <div class="columns small-12"> <ul class="dropdown menu" data-dropdown-menu> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/">Home</a> </li> <li class="megamenu"> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/michael-d-higgins"> The President </a> <ul class="menu"> <li> <div class="row medium-up-2 large-up-4"> <div class="column column-block"> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/michael-d-higgins"> President in Office </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/michael-d-higgins"> Michael D. Higgins </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/vision-for-presidency"> Vision for Presidency </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/sabina-higgins"> Sabina Higgins </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/constitutional-role"> Role and Function </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/constitutional-role"> Constitutional Role </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/work-in-ireland"> Work in Ireland </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/international-role"> international role </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="column column-block"> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li><a href="https://president.ie/the-president/mary-mcaleese">Former Presidents</a></li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/mary-mcaleese"> Mary McAleese </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/mary-robinson"> Mary Robinson </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/patrick-j-hillery"> Patrick J. Hillery </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/cearbhail-o-dalaigh"> Cearbhail 脫 D谩laigh </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/erskine-childers"> Erskine Childers </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/eamon-devalera"> Eamon DeValera </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/sean-t-oceallaigh"> Sean T. O'Ceallaigh </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/douglas-hyde"> Douglas Hyde </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="column column-block"> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/2019"> Special Initiatives </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/participation-and-transformation"> Participation & Transformation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/imagination-and-the-nation"> Imagination and the Nation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/shared-ireland-shared-island"> Shared Ireland, Shared Island </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives"> Special Initiatives 2011 - 2018 </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/ethics"> Ethics </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/the-lock-out"> The Lock Out </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/glaoch"> Glaoch </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/being-young-and-irish"> Being Young and Irish </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/public-art-project"> Public Art Project </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="column column-block"> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/presidential-seminars/machnamh-100"> Machnamh 100 </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/council-of-state"> Council of State </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/presidential-commission"> Presidential Commission </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/2024-legislation"> Legislation </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="vertical menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/interactive-timeline"> Timeline of the Presidency </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/past-engagements">President's Diary</a> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/"> This Week's Engagements </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/past-engagements"> Past Engagements </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/featured-engagements"> Featured Engagements </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library">Multimedia & Speeches</a> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/photos"> Photos </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/video"> Video </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/audio"> Audio </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/speeches"> Speeches </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/news-releases"> News Releases </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/publications"> Publications </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/official-residence">Visit & Explore</a> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/interactive-tour"> Virtual Tour </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/official-residence"> Official Residence </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/the-house"> The House </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/the-gardens"> The Gardens </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/tours-visits"> Tours & Visits </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/tilley-lamp"> Tilley Lamp </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/organisational-information">About</a> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/organisational-information"> Organisational Information </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/your-questions-answered"> Your Questions Answered </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/centenarian-bounty"> Centenarian Bounty </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/contact-us"> Contact Us </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/visiting-aras-an-uachtarain"> Find Us </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/childrens-section">Children's Section</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> </header> <main id="content" role="main"> <section class="c-intro" data-equalizer> <div class="c-intro-content" data-equalizer-watch> <h1 class="c-intro__title"> President delivers the 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture </h1> <section class="c-intro-info"> <div class="c-intro-timestamp"> <span class="c-intro__icon icon-date"></span> Thu 7th Nov, 2024 | 14:00 </div> <div class="c-intro-location"> <span class="c-intro__icon icon-location"></span> location: Online </div> </section> </div> </section> <nav class="show-for-small hide-for-large material-design-nav"> <div class="row" data-equalizer data-equalize-on="small only"> <div class="columns small-8 medium-12" data-equalizer-watch> <button class="material-dropdown-trigger" type="button" data-toggle="material-dropdown"> <span class="show-for-sr">Overview</span> <span class="material-icon icon-overview"></span> Overview </button> <div class="dropdown-pane" data-position="bottom" data-alignment="left" id="material-dropdown" data-dropdown data-auto-focus="true"> <ul class="vertical menu accordion-menu material" data-accordion-menu> <li class="active"> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture"> <span class="show-for-sr">Overview</span> <span class="material-icon icon-overview"></span> Overview </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/photos"> <span class="show-for-sr">Photos</span> <span class="material-icon icon-photos"></span> Photos </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/video"> <span class="show-for-sr">Video</span> <span class="material-icon icon-video"></span> Video </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/audio"> <span class="show-for-sr">Audio</span> <span class="material-icon icon-audio"></span> Audio </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/speeches"> <span class="show-for-sr">Speech</span> <span class="material-icon icon-speeches"></span> Speech </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="columns small-4 show-for-small-only e-share-btn-wrapper" data-equalizer-watch>  </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="hide-for-small show-for-large material-design-nav detail"> <div class="row"> <div class="columns small-12"> <ul class="dropdown menu align-center material material-nav-menu" data-dropdown-menu> <li class="active"> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture"> <span class="show-for-sr">Overview</span> <span class="material-icon icon-overview"></span> Overview </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/photos"> <span class="show-for-sr">Photos</span> <span class="material-icon icon-photos"></span> Photos </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/video"> <span class="show-for-sr">Video</span> <span class="material-icon icon-video"></span> Video </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/audio"> <span class="show-for-sr">Audio</span> <span class="material-icon icon-audio"></span> Audio </a> </li> <li > <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture/speeches"> <span class="show-for-sr">Speech</span> <span class="material-icon icon-speeches"></span> Speech </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <div class="o-block o-block--np o-block--grey"> <div class="e-breadcrumbs show-for-medium"> <div class="row" data-equalizer data-equalize-on="medium up"> <div class="e-breadcrumb-nav-wrap" data-equalizer-watch> <nav> <a href="https://president.ie/" class="e-breadcrumb">Home</a> <a href="https://president.ie//diary" class="e-breadcrumb">Diary</a> <a href="https://president.ie//diary/details/president-delivers-the-2024-kofi-annan-lecture" class="e-breadcrumb">President Delivers The 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture</a> </nav> </div> <div class="e-share-btn-wrapper" data-equalizer-watch>  </div> </div> </div> <div class="page-content"> <div class="row o-block o-block--detail-page detail-page-content-wrapper"> <div class="c-detail-page-hero columns small-12 medium-7"> <div class="img-border-wrap"> <img class="border" src="/images/made/44d1dc18a2367c64/GbnMEV2WoAA9Oo8_720_377.jpg" alt="President delivers the 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture"> </div> </div> <div class="c-detail-page-content"> <p>Uachtarán na hÉireann, President Michael D. Higgins this afternoon delivered the 2024 Kofi Annan Eminent Speakers’ Lecture in a live online event from the State Reception Room in Áras an Uachtaráin.</p> <p>President Higgins was invited to deliver this year’s lecture by the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina. The lecture series was launched in 2006 and in 2018 was renamed in honour of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan.</p> <p>The lecture has been previously delivered by seven Nobel laureates, including winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, as well as by a number of Heads of State, Heads of Government, academics and heads of global institutions.</p> <p>President Higgins’ lecture is titled<em> Achieving Food Security through Globalisation ‘from Below’: Issues for Structural Transformation, Inclusive Economy and Sustainable Development in Africa</em>.</p> <p>In his lecture, the President highlighted the vital importance of moving past previous reactive emergency humanitarian responses to famine, food insecurity and global poverty, and undertaking the bigger and repeating challenge of tackling the underlying structural causes of hunger</p> <p>In proposing a globalisation ‘from below’, the President suggested that food security can be best seen as an essential part of universal basic services and, in that way, can make a key contribution to the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030.</p> <p>President Higgins called on the international community to recognise that there is an urgent, severe debt service crisis facing many countries, and to make tackling that crisis a priority.</p> <p>The President said:</p> <blockquote> <p><em>“Debt is crippling so many African countries who are now facing the worst debt crisis in history. In so many countries, spending on health and education is being cut, while nearly half of budgets are being used to pay creditors.”</em></p> <p><em>“What an appalling statistic it is that debt service exceeds social spending by two-thirds in Africa and low-income countries. As a result of the debt crisis, children are starving, AIDS victims are dying, the planet is burning, extreme poverty is rising, human rights are being abused, and thousands of species are disappearing.”</em></p> </blockquote> <p>The President supported the calls which have been made by organisations such as Debt Relief International to reduce debt service payments to less than 15% of budget revenues. Such a move which could make approximately $100 billion annually available to fund social and environmental policies and measures in Sub-Saharan Africa.</p> <p>The President also drew particular attention to what he described as ‘the forgotten war in Sudan’, which he said risks triggering the world’s largest hunger crisis. The President said that an immediate ceasefire is needed to prevent a completely collapse in Sudan and further regional destabilisation as millions flee into neighbouring countries. The President further highlighted the exceptional food crises created by the ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and the surrounding region.</p> <p>The President has written extensively on the topic of food security, including reflecting on the repeated crises which have arisen since he first travelled to Somalia and saw first-hand the devastation of the famine in that country in 1992.</p> <p>In June of this year, the President’s work in this area was recognised when he was awarded the Agricola Medal of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at a ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin.</p> <p>The President’s Kofi Annan lecture builds on the paper which he delivered upon receipt of the Agricola Medal, as well as on the previous papers on the topic of food security which he has delivered at the Africa Food Summit in Dakar in January 2023 and at the World Food Forum in Rome in October 2023, as well as on his address to the UN Summit of the Future during the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2024.</p> <p>The President has consistently raised the importance of food security, and the linkages between it and the interlocking global crises of global poverty, migration, debt and climate change in his meetings with global leaders. This has included in meetings over the last year with US President Joe Biden, His Holiness Pope Francis, the Premier of the People’s Republic of China Li Qiang, and the incoming President of the European Council António Costa among others.</p> <p>President Higgins further discussed the topics in a number of his meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in September, including with the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="o-block o-block--np o-block--pale-blue overlay c-pagination--block"> <div class="o-block-content"> <div class="row"> <div class="columns small-12"> <h2 class="c-pagination__heading">Discover More</h2> </div> </div> <div class="row small-up-1 medium-up-2 c-card-flex-wrapper" data-equalizer> <div class="column column-block"> <a href="https://president.ie/index.php/en/diary/details/sabina-attends-barretstown-dinner" class="pagination-link pagination-prev">Previous Engagement</a> <div class="c-card" data-equalizer-watch> <section class="c-card-top"> <div class="c-card-slider-wrapper"> <div class="c-card-slider c-gallery"> <div class="c-slide gallery" data-src="https://president.ie/uploads/images/media_gallery/_I2A8360.jpg" data-sub-html="<h4></h4>"> <img src="/images/made/44d1dc18a2367c64/_I2A8360_362_262_s_c1.jpg" alt=""> </div> <div class="c-slide gallery" data-src="https://president.ie/uploads/images/media_gallery/333A8508.jpg" data-sub-html="<h4></h4>"> <img src="/images/made/44d1dc18a2367c64/333A8508_362_289_s_c1.jpg" alt=""> </div> <div class="c-slide gallery" data-src="https://president.ie/uploads/images/media_gallery/333A8503.jpg" data-sub-html="<h4></h4>"> <img src="/images/made/44d1dc18a2367c64/333A8503_362_270_s_c1.jpg" alt=""> </div> <div class="c-slide gallery" data-src="https://president.ie/uploads/images/media_gallery/Founders_Dinner_-_Sabina__The_Edge__Dee_1.jpg" data-sub-html="<h4></h4>"> <img src="/images/made/44d1dc18a2367c64/Founders_Dinner_-_Sabina__The_Edge__Dee_1_362_292_s_c1.jpg" alt=""> </div> </div> </div> </section> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/sabina-attends-barretstown-dinner"> <section class="c-card-content"> <section class="c-card-section"> <h3 class="c-card-title">Sabina attends Barretstown Dinner</h3> </section> <section class="c-card-info"> <div class="c-card-timestamp"> <span class="c-card__icon icon-date"></span> <span class="c-info-content"> Wed 6th Nov, 2024 | 18:00 </span> </div> <div class="c-card-location"> <span class="c-card__icon icon-location"></span> <span class="c-info-content"> Barretstown, Co. Kildare </span> </div> </section> </section> </a> <section class="c-card-divider"> <ul class="menu card-media"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/sabina-attends-barretstown-dinner" data-tooltip title="Overview"> <span class="show-for-sr">Overview</span> <span class="icon-overview"></span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/sabina-attends-barretstown-dinner/photos" data-tooltip title="Photos"> <span class="show-for-sr">Photos</span> <span class="icon-photos"></span> </a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> <div class="column column-block"> <a href="https://president.ie/index.php/en/diary/details/president-attends-the-irfu-autumn-nations-series-ireland-v-new-zealand" class="pagination-link pagination-next">Next Engagement</a> <div class="c-card" data-equalizer-watch> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/details/president-attends-the-irfu-autumn-nations-series-ireland-v-new-zealand"> <section class="c-card-content"> <section class="c-card-section"> <h3 class="c-card-title">President attends the IRFU Autumn Nations Series: Ireland v New Zealand</h3> </section> <section class="c-card-info"> <div class="c-card-timestamp"> <span class="c-card__icon icon-date"></span> <span class="c-info-content"> Fri 8th Nov, 2024 | 20:10 </span> </div> <div class="c-card-location"> <span class="c-card__icon icon-location"></span> <span class="c-info-content"> Aviva Stadium, Dublin 4 </span> </div> </section> </section> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row c-pagination-button-wrapper"> <div class="columns small-12"> <a href="/diary/past-engagements" class="e-button">See Past Engagements</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> </div> <footer class="c-site-footer"> <section class="c-site-footer-row"> <a href="https://president.ie/" title="Ar谩s an Uachtar谩n homepage"> <div class="e-footer__logo"><img src="https://president.ie/assets/images/harp.png" alt="Golden Harp Logo"></div> </a> <h1 class="show-for-small-only e-footer__title">President of Ireland</h1> <section class="c-site-footer__links"> <article> <h3>The President</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president"> President in Office </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/constitutional-role"> Role and Functions </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/2024-legislation"> Legislation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/the-president/mary-mcaleese"> Past Presidents </a> </li> </ul> <h3>President's Diary</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary"> This Week </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/past-engagements"> Past Engagements </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/diary/featured-engagements"> Featured Engagements </a> </li> </ul> </article> <article> <h3>News</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/news"> News Archive </a> </li> </ul> <div class="header"> <h3>Multimedia & Speeches</h3> </div> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/news-releases"> News Releases </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/speeches"> Speeches </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/audio"> Audio </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/video"> Video </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/photos"> Photos </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/media-library/publications"> Publications </a> </li> </ul> </article> <article> <h3>Visit & Explore</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/interactive-tour"> Virtual Tour </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/official-residence"> Official Residence </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/the-house"> The House </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/the-gardens"> The Gardens </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/explore-visit/tours-visits"> Tours & Visits </a> </li> </ul> <h3>About</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/organisational-information"> Organisational Information </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/your-questions-answered"> Your Questions Answered </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/centenarian-bounty"> Centenarian Bounty </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/contact-us"> Contact Us </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/visiting-aras-an-uachtarain"> Find Us </a> </li> </ul> </article> <article> <h3>Special Initiatives</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/participation-and-transformation"> Participation & Transformation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/imagination-and-the-nation"> Imagination and the Nation </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/shared-ireland-shared-island"> Shared Ireland, Shared Island </a> </li> </ul> <h3>Special Initiatives 2011 - 2018</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/ethics"> Ethics </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/the-lock-out"> The Lock Out </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/glaoch"> Glaoch </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/special-initiatives/being-young-and-irish"> Being Young and Irish </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/public-art-project"> Public Art Project </a> </li> </ul> <h3>Children's Section</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/childrens-section"> Children's Section </a> </li> </ul> <div class="show-for-small-only c-footer-search"> <h3 class="c-footer-search__heading">search President.ie</h3> <form id="search-footer" name="search" role="search" class="c-form--search" method="post" action="https://president.ie/index.php/en/"> <div class="hiddenFields"> <input type="hidden" name="params" value="eyJyZXN1bHRfcGFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9wcmVzaWRlbnQuaWVcL2luZGV4LnBocFwvZW5cL3Jlc3VsdHMifQ"><input type="hidden" name="ACT" value="76"><input type="hidden" name="site_id" value="1"><input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="abf51608f2c872a5c98237d67a3243875a030c81"></div> <label for="footer-keywords" class="show-for-sr">Enter Keywords</label> <input class="c-form__input--rounded" type="text" value="" name="keywords" id="footer-keywords" placeholder="search"><button type="submit" class="c-form__submit--icon"> <span class="sb-icon-search"></span> <span class="show-for-sr">search</span> </button> </form> </div> </article> </section> <section class="show-for-small-only c-site-footer__contact"> <p>Tel: <a href="tel:+35316171000">+353 1 617 1000</a><br>Fax: +353 1 617 1001<br>Lo Call: 1890 430 430</p> <p id="address">脕ras an Uachtar谩in<br>Phoenix Park,<br>Dublin 8</p> <section class="c-site-footer__email"> <span style="display: block; text-align: center;">email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85ecebe3eac5f5f7e0f6ece1e0ebf1abece0" class="email-link"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="345d5a525b74444651475d50515a401a5d51">[email protected]</span></a></span> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidentIRL" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span class="show-for-sr">The President Twitter</span> <span class="footer-icon icon-sharing-twitter"></span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/presidentirl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span class="show-for-sr">The President Instagram</span> <span class="footer-icon icon-sharing-instagram"></span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PresidentIRL" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span class="show-for-sr">The President Facebook</span> <span class="footer-icon icon-sharing-facebook"></span> </a> </li> </section> </section> <ul class="c-footer-social-icons show-for-medium"> <li> <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidentIRL" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span class="show-for-sr">The President Twitter</span> <span class="footer-icon icon-sharing-twitter"></span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/presidentirl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span class="show-for-sr">The President Instagram</span> <span class="footer-icon icon-sharing-instagram"></span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PresidentIRL" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span class="show-for-sr">The President Facebook</span> <span class="footer-icon icon-sharing-facebook"></span> </a> </li> </ul> </section> </footer> <section class="c-footer-ts-and-cs" id="ts-and-cs"> <div class="row small-collapse"> <div class="columns small-12"> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/accessibility-statement"> accessibility statement </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/terms-and-conditions"> terms and conditions </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/privacy-policy"> privacy policy </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/the-official-languages-act"> The Official Languages Act </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://president.ie/about/social-media"> Social Media </a> </li> <li> <a href="#">© 2024 President of Ireland</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> </div>  <script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="https://s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=ra-538861e86a212dae" defer></script>   <script src="https://president.ie/assets/js/manifest.js?ver=1.0.5" defer></script> <script src="https://president.ie/assets/js/vendor.js?ver=1.0.5" defer></script> <script src="https://president.ie/assets/vendor/jquery-ias.min.js" defer></script> <script src="https://president.ie/assets/js/main.js?ver=1.0.5" defer></script> <script> if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) { window.addEventListener('load', function() { navigator.serviceWorker.register('https://president.ie/sw.js').then(function(registration) { // Registration was successful console.log('ServiceWorker registration successful with scope: ', registration.scope); }, function(err) { // registration failed :( console.log('ServiceWorker registration failed: ', err); }); }); } </script>  <div class="modal fade" id="myModal" role="dialog"> <div class="modal-dialog">  <div class="modal-content"> <div class="modal-header"> <button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="modal">×</button>  </div> <div class="modal-body">  <div class="links"> <div class="row"> <div class="columns small-12 large-6 irish"> <a class="pop-up-irish" href="/ga"> <h3>Uachtar谩n na h脡ireann</h3> <p>Su铆omh Gr茅as谩in Oifigi煤il - F谩ilte</p> </a> </div> <div class="columns small-12 large-6 english"> <a class="pop-up-english" href="/en"> <h3>President of Ireland</h3> <p> Official Website - Welcome </p> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script data-cfasync="false" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/js-cookie@rc/dist/js.cookie.min.js"></script> <script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript"> $(window).on('load', function() { //if cookie hasn't been set... function getCookie(name) { var cookie = document.cookie; var prefix = name + "="; var begin = cookie.indexOf("; " + prefix); if (begin == -1) { begin = cookie.indexOf(prefix); if (begin != 0) return null; } else { begin += 2; var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin); if (end == -1) { end = cookie.length; } } return unescape(cookie.substring(begin + prefix.length, end)); } var myCookie = getCookie("dismiss"); if (myCookie == null) { // $('#myModal').modal('show'); $('.close, .pop-up-irish, .pop-up-english').click(e=>{ console.log('This works'); Cookies.set('dismiss', '1', { expires: 30 }) }) } else { // Do Nothing } }); </script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Diary | President Delivers The 2024 Kofi Annan Lecture | President of Ireland