Immediate release: 25 September 2014
Issued by The Wheel
Campaign for National Motto Launched
DUBLIN - A nationwide campaign was launched today challenging members of the public to submit suggestions for a possible national motto for Ireland. The National Motto Campaign was developed by The Wheel, a national body representing 1,000 Irish charities, to stimulate debate about the kind of society we want to be.
Commenting on the launch of the campaign Ivan Cooper, Director of Advocacy of The Wheel said: “Thinking about what our national motto might be - if we were to have one - is a good way to stimulate discussion about the kind of society we want to be in the years ahead.
“Discussion will focus on questions like what are our core values in Ireland today? What do we deeply believe in? What do we hold close to our hearts? And indeed what should the answers to all these questions be? And what does being confronted with these questions, and answering them truthfully, reveal about ourselves as a people? These are some of the challenging questions we think will be raised by this campaign,” said Mr Cooper.
Mr Cooper added: “National mottos can be an expression of a nation’s values, hopes and ideals. At their best, they help to build social cohesion by crystallizing shared values and inspiring solidarity. In other words, national mottos may be seen as shorthand for the qualities and values a nation holds dearest. But they may not, and we are of course open to that possibility too. At their worst national mottos could be the opposite of all of these good things.”
The public have an opportunity to take part in this discussion by suggesting a possible national motto for Ireland. The challenge is to propose a motto no longer than 60 characters (spaces included). It can be in English or Irish, but to qualify, submissions must be respectful, clear and positive. Mottos must be submitted at www.bettertogether.ie or via Twitter by using the hashtag #mottoforireland. Submissions will appear on www.bettertogether.ie, where the public will vote for their favourite mottos.
The National Motto Campaign is part of Better Together 2014, an initiative that aims to build support for good causes across Ireland. Better Together 2014 also includes a video competition for charities. See www.bettertogether.ie for more.
Note to Editor:
Ivan Cooper, Director of Advocacy at The Wheel is available for interview. Please contact Gert Ackermann on Tel: 086 176 9287 or email gert@wheel.ie.
About The Wheel
The Wheel is a national organisation that represents and supports community, voluntary and charitable organisations in Ireland. Founded in 1999, we currently have around 1,000 members across Ireland, reflecting the enormous scope and scale of this vibrant and diverse sector. See www.wheel.ie
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