DCU is to host a key address this year as part of President Michael D. Higgins’ new ethics initiative.
The University will play host to an international symposium on disaster ethics on May 16th.
The symposium will highlight issues arising from the response to, prevention and prediction of disasters.
Over fifty such events have been announced to take place across the country, with the intention of stimulating national debate on ethics.
Several third-level institutions nationwide, including NUI Galway, Dublin Institute of Technology, Queens University and Trinity College Dublin, will play host to these events.
Speaking at the unveiling of the initiative, President Higgins expressed his hope that it will “enable us to build a sustainable social economy and a society which is profoundly ethical and inclusive”.
The plans follow-up on a promise made by President Higgins during his 2011 inaugural address.
On that occasion, he pledged to hold a series of seminars on themes “such as the restoration of trust in our institutions, the ethical connection between our economy and society the future of a Europe built on peace, social solidarity and sustainability.”
President Higgins stirred debate on whether he was crossing the political line upon delivering an address on ethics at DCU last September.
The series of addresses is the second major initiative for him to launch, with the ‘Being Young and Irish’ youth consultation sessions starting in 2012.
The initiative will conclude with a major seminar at the end of this year at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Rebecca Marie O’Connor
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