Tipperary humanitarian activist honours President Higgins for support of Chernobyl charity
Founder of Chernobyl Children International praises President’s decades of commitment
Tipperary humanitarian Adi Roche has paid tribute to President Michael D. Higgins for his enduring support of Chernobyl Children International (CCI), the charity she founded following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
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Ms Roche, who hails from Clonmel, said the President’s commitment to the charity’s mission stretches back long before his election in 2011. She recalled his backing for peace and humanitarian campaigns, and his early recognition of the charity’s work with children affected by the catastrophe.
During his tenure as Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, President Higgins played a key role in supporting the creation of Black Wind White Land, the first English-language documentary on Chernobyl. He also launched the book Children of Chernobyl in 1996, further highlighting the impact of the disaster and the resilience of those affected.
Over the years, President Higgins has welcomed many children from Chernobyl to Áras an Uachtaráin. He was also the first world leader to endorse the United Nations Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day, an initiative brokered by CCI.
President Higgins’ second seven-year term concludes on Tuesday, when President-elect Catherine Connolly will be inaugurated at Dublin Castle.