Ireland: Former president and UN human rights commissioner Dr Mary Robinson was presented with the gold medal of the Alexander Dubcek Society of Bratislava at Trinity College Dublin yesterday.
Dr Pavol Dubcek, son of the man who stood for "socialism with a human face", made the presentation.
The medal is given to "those who have helped to build and develop democracy and humanity in the world". As part of the same ceremony in the Ussher Library, a memorial exhibition was opened by Slovak ambassador Jan Gabor, who recalled how Mr Dubcek died on November 7th, 1992, in "a very strange road accident".
The attendance included another former president, Dr Patrick Hillery, Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, deputy lord mayor of Dublin John Gallagher, Trinity College Provost Prof John Hegarty, Dr Jozef Skultety of the Alexander Dubcek Society, and members of the diplomatic corps. Fianna Fáil TD Seán Haughey represented his father, former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who received Alexander Dubcek on an official visit to Ireland in 1990. On a second visit in 1991, an honorary law degree was conferred on Mr Dubcek at TCD. Paying tribute to Mr Dubcek, Dr Robinson said there was a broader approach to human rights these days and that, if he were alive today, Mr Dubcek would probably join with her in emphasising poverty issues as well as continuing to give very high priority to freedom of expression, freedom of the press and the rule of law.
Dr Pavol Dubcek said the history of both Ireland and Slovakia was marked by efforts for social development and co-operation among nations.