Speech of Hon. Ambassador William Carlos of Ireland during the 49th Anniversary Celebration of Preda Foundation, Inc.

Hon. Ambassador William Carlos, Ireland – I am really delighted to be here today to mark the 49th anniversary of PREDA. Fr Shay asked me to say a few words – never easy as an Irishman and even worse as a diplomat. But the great work that PREDA is undertaking and the resilience of this fantastic organisation made me reflect on my own journey.

My values were passed on to me by my parents and family – do what is right; always be honest; stand up for what is right; be helpful and mindful; helping those in great need and make a positive difference. These are some of the values that shape this great organisation I am visiting today. To be honest, sometimes, some of these values get forgotten in my journey in life. I suppose in my case you get distracted my consumerism, desire to be successful but I always try to revisit what is important.

My visits to PREDA, and this is my second visit, brings back into focus of what is important and I look on with great admiration the work that is being undertaken by you – despite the challenges – or even maybe because of the challenges. Your burning desire to do what is right is a clarion call to us all; demonstrating to us what can be achieved and to have the strength of conviction to fight a just war against the extreme injustices that you, and sadly the children, are facing.

In my early career I joined a great Irish NGO called Concern who, like you here, had an amazing CEO – Fr Aengus Finucane. His philosophy was always leave no one behind and to be there when you are needed most. An incredible man and an incredible organisation. My early work on the Thai border and in Bangladesh and Mozambique was shaped by this belief.

But what I learnt, while responding to the immediately needs, the importance of addressing the root causes as well. Yes of course I want to provide shelter and assistance but I also saw the need to ensure that other issues were addressed at the same time. Gender based violence, sexual exploitation are but some examples that needed both the initial protection but also the need to change attitude and the laws protecting these women.

Changing attitude is one of the more challenges things you can do. I remember in my school days coming home to my parents and they asked me what wrong and I said my hands were very sore from the punishment I received from my teacher. Their response was not about my welfare but the fact that I upset my teacher and you probably deserved what you got. Play that same story today and you would get the opposite approach and the police would probably be visiting the teacher. Play this scenario in the 1970s/80s in Ireland with sexual abuse; the child’s story that s/he had been abused would be dismissed out of hand.

When I look back I wonder what it was about society that I grew up in that would dismiss out of hand a child telling their parents a story of abuse. Simply it was inconceivable that this could happen. As I have learnt whether working in war zones or in major humanitarian crisis areas that the inconceivable can and does often happen and wasting time trying to deny what is happening will only made the matter worse.

What I have learnt is that resilience matters as does tenacity: dogged determination and the strengthen to see the fight through. A clear vision on what is right and a communication strategy to change the attitudes of society on the issue.

As I talk here today I am simply in awe about what PREDA have achieved, what you are doing and what you plan to do in the future. There is no fear but determination. This is an organisation that focuses on the lasting need to be true to what you do.

I am so proud of Fr Shay and the whole team in PREDA. I am in awe of the bravery of these children I see here today. What is happening here is simply incredible. This is truly an organising that is making an immense difference to the lives of these children.
To end I am reminded of two statements made by one of Ireland’s most famous poets – Seamus Heaney. He once said that his technique in writing poetry was “silence-breaking rather than rabble-rousing”. And I feel this captures your great work here and I also feel that another line written by Seamus Heaney also captures the ethos/vision of PREDA- “Walk on air against your better judgement”.

Thank you.