The Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, is set to embark on a week-long excursion to the United States, initiating his journey in Boston on Monday and concluding with the time-honoured ‘Shamrock Ceremony’ at the White House with President Joe Biden on St Patrick’s Day.
He is scheduled to engage in key political discourse in Washington DC come Friday, the 15th of March, where he will engage in one-on-one meetings with not only President Biden, but also Vice President Kamala Harris and the US House of Representatives Speaker.
These discussions are forecasted to encompass a wide scope of topical issues. These include recognising a century-long diplomatic alliance between Ireland and the United States, and tackling shared global predicaments, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the Middle Eastern crisis.
This interaction will also provide the Prime Minister an occasion to express gratitude towards President Biden for America’s unceasing support towards the Belfast Agreement and to applaud the revival of the Northern Ireland institutions.
While in Boston on Monday, the Prime Minister is expected to interact with the Massachusetts state governor, Maura Healy. He is also scheduled to offer a pivotal speech at the President John F. Kennedy library, reminiscing on the life and enduring legacy of the former president in the face of contemporary worldwide challenges.
Starting Tuesday, the 12th of March, Mr Varadkar’s day will consist of several economic meetings and a visit to Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox’s hub. Here, he will declare a substantial investment by an Irish firm, Output Sports, known for specialising in sports data.
Ahead of his journey, Mr. Varadkar emphasised the importance of St. Patrick’s Day as a time for global Irish communities, including the 30 million Irish-American populace, to reconnect. He expressed his eagerness to visit Boston and Washington to commemorate this robust and lasting relationship on the 100th anniversary of Ireland-US diplomatic relations.
He further stated his ambition is to bolster mutual ties between the two countries, specifically focusing on economic, political, and inter-personal links. He concluded by saying that this year’s St. Patrick’s Day theme, “Ireland’s future in the world”, would be a celebration of young leaders in the USA who have excelled across different fields from innovation to academia.
Mr. Varadkar stated that several happenings in both Boston and Washington DC will allow him to acknowledge their priceless input in maintaining and enriching the strong ties between Ireland and the US, both presently and looking forward.
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