Hillary Clinton praises women who campaigned for peace

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Monday Oct 12 2009

Hillary Clinton heaped praise on the women of Northern Ireland today for the crucial role they played winning peace in the region.

At a special event to mark the re-opening of Belfast City Hall after a two-year £11 million refurbishment, the US secretary of state paid tribute to the mothers, wives, sisters and daughters who came together during the dark days of the Troubles to break down long standing divisions.

"I couldn't come here without recognising a special group - the women of Belfast and the women of Northern Ireland," she said.

"Mothers and daughter and sisters and wives throughout this city have organised and led a united front in the campaign for peace.

"What I've seen around the world is that it is women who worry about their children, who worry about their husbands, who worry about the day to day necessities of life, who finally transcend old divisions and find a way to come together on behalf of a more peaceful and prosperous future."

Among an audience of 250 invited guests inside the new look City Hall were members of various women's peace groups who Mrs Clinton has met and worked with on her six previous visits to Northern Ireland.

The ribbon cutting ceremony came almost 14 years after she first set foot inside the iconic civic building, when accompanied by her husband and then US President Bill she turned on the city's Christmas lights.

"I remember so well my first visit back in 1995 and I remember there wasn't the level of activity and excitement and energy that one sees in Belfast here today," she recalled.

"In fact it is hard to even recognise the city that I first visited 14 years ago with the shops and the restaurants and the streets bustling now."

In a light hearted aside the Secretary said she had been particularly struck with the decision to name a new property development in the old docklands after the most famous ship to be built there.

"It takes a special kind of confidence for someone to name a major real estate venture 'The Titanic'," she said.

"And I think that goes to the full speed ahead, forward motion attitude of the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland and it isn't any surprise for you to learn that my husband and I have a great deal of affection for this place and for the people who we have come to know and have admired from a far.

"Few expected even on that glorious night 14 years ago that we would be standing here today with all the positive change that has happened."

At that event the then First Lady read out a letter she had received from 12-year-old Sharon Haughey from Co Armagh.

Now a councillor for the Social Democratic and Labour Party, she was there today to hear Mrs Clinton reflect on her words.

The Secretary said: "One (letter) from a 12-year-girl read: 'All my life I have only known guns and bombs with people fighting. Now it is different, there are no guns and bombs, what I hope is that when I have my own children that there will still be peace and Belfast will be a peaceful place from now on'.

"Well, 14 years later I think that expression of hope that we heard from that young girl has been recognised." Afterwards, Ms Haughey said it was great to welcome the Secretary back to the city.

"I'm absolutely delighted to see Hillary back in Belfast and I think it's very important in her role as Secretary of State for the US," she said.

"I think it shows that she has a very genuine interest in affairs going on here in Northern Ireland and I think that's very positive and like a lot of people across the north I am delighted she's come back to Ireland."

Councillor Haughey had a private audience with Mrs Clinton during the City Hall event and she revealed that they had talked about the prospect of President Barack Obama visiting in the near future.

"She said 'we'll have to wait and see' (if it happens) but it's certainly something that's she's open to," she said.

After the cutting of the ribbon, Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long invited Mrs Clinton to unveil a plaque to mark her visit.

"The regeneration and restoration of City Hall also reflects the wider change and transformation of the city itself, which I am sure Secretary Clinton will both recognise and welcome," said the Alliance Party First Citizen.

"Belfast is an increasingly vibrant and dynamic city, politically, culturally, socially and economically and we are committed to further progress."

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