Galway City Council was pleased to welcome The Honourable Marc Miller MP, Canada's Minister for Identity and Culture, to City Hall last week as part of his visit to Ireland.
The visit formed part of a wider programme to strengthen cultural cooperation between Ireland and Canada ahead of Canada-Ireland 180 in 2027, a significant bilateral initiative that will celebrate the longstanding cultural, artistic and historic connections between both countries.
Minister Miller was accompanied by Denis King, Ambassador of Canada to Ireland, senior officials from the Department of Canadian Heritage, and John Concannon, Ireland's Ambassador to Canada. The delegation was welcomed by Mayor Helen Ogbu, Chief Executive Leonard Cleary, Directors and senior officials of Galway City Council, together with Cathaoirleach Andrew Reddington of Galway County Council.
Discussions highlighted Galway's role as a centre for artistic production, cultural innovation, multilingual creativity and international cultural exchange. The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss the strong and longstanding relationship between Ireland and Canada, as well as the important role culture plays in strengthening international connections and communities.
The city's international relationships were also referenced, including Galway's Friendship Agreement with Moncton, New Brunswick, which reflects the strong connections that continue to exist between Ireland and Atlantic Canada.
Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Helen Ogbu welcomed the visit, saying:
"We are delighted to welcome Minister Miller and his delegation to Galway. Visits such as this help strengthen the ties between our countries and create opportunities for future collaboration in culture, tourism and community development."
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive, Galway City Council added:
"Culture is a defining part of Galway's identity and a key strength of our city. We are proud of the partnerships we have built internationally and look forward to exploring further opportunities to work together in the years ahead”.