Three Presidents' Club Trustees have the privilege of coordinating the Irish delegation at the National [President's] Prayer Breakfast in the US Capital on Thursday.This promises to be a very EXCITING week for us and I undertake to Blog as things unfold in Washington DC.
This is the 57th National Prayer Breakfast. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the President's Prayer Breakfast, when in fact it is hosted by Members of Congress and attended by the President. When Ronald Reagan addressed the breakfast as President he incisively said "I recognise we must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side, but I think it's all right to keep asking if we're on His side."
Last year we brought an eclectic group of community, political, business and cultural reps. This year we are joined by Carmel Hannah of the SDLP and Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy. There are 15 in the delegation from the island, from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Also, to reflect the the mood of optimism (well at least change) in the air with President Obama's arrival on the scene, we thought singer songwriter Brian Houston and his uniquely Belfast style would add a bit of spice to our delegation.
Visit www.brianhouston.com or itunes.
Brian is breaking off from his UK tour and flying in from London to join us, so he will have his guitar and harmonica with him. Thus we have seized the opportunity to arrange a reception for the many friends of the island of Ireland attending along with leaders and delegations from over from 130 countries. This event is being kindly hosted by the NI Washington Bureau and the Irish Embassy.
If you happen to be in DC on Wednesday night Brian will be playing from 9 to 11 at the Churchill Hotel on Connecticut Avenue.
Now, I can assure you, it is not just Breakfast with the President (and 3,500 others) on Thursday and a reception on Wednesday night. We have wall-to-wall meetings set up with Congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle and many other friends of Ireland.
This is a new era and the nature of the relationship between Ireland (indeed all of Europe) and America is going to change. Our agenda, as an International organisation that just happens to be based in Belfast, is to focus on developing collaborative links. With the strength of the Dollar, this is the time for our talented entrepreneurs to be offering Outsourcing Solutions to US companies. Such 'foot-hold' relationships may in time lead to FDI investment....but realistically, this should be our focus right now.
Congressman Mike Doyle, who is favorably disposed towards Ireland, has made as his theme the support of US Small and Medium Sized technology companies. Our message is that we open opportunities for American SMEs and there will be a win-win by fostering links with Irish based SMEs.
This is a new era and the nature of the relationship between Ireland (indeed all of Europe) and America is going to change. Our agenda, as an International organisation that just happens to be based in Belfast, is to focus on developing collaborative links. With the strength of the Dollar, this is the time for our talented entrepreneurs to be offering Outsourcing Solutions to US companies. Such 'foot-hold' relationships may in time lead to FDI investment....but realistically, this should be our focus right now.
Congressman Mike Doyle, who is favorably disposed towards Ireland, has made as his theme the support of US Small and Medium Sized technology companies. Our message is that we open opportunities for American SMEs and there will be a win-win by fostering links with Irish based SMEs.
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