17/06/2013 BBC Newsline

special on the visit of President Barack Obama to Northern Ireland.

He's here for the G8 meeting in Fermanagh, but this morning he will

be speaking at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast where he's expected to

touch on the need to build a more integrated society. His wife

Michelle is also expected to address the gathering. They are due to

arrive on Air Force One at the international airport in a few

minutes time. They wield their own travel by helicopter to the City

Airport, and from there, they will be driven to the Waterfront Hall,

presumably in that huge armoured car, known as The Beast. That was

the one that got stuck in 2011 at the US Embassy. We will go live to

Enniskillen shortly, but first, a quick word with my guests this

morning. I have Fionnuala O'Connor, the Economist and commentator, and

Catherine Clinton, also just back from the US. Rate excitement about

the G8? Not really. In Washington, where I was, there is a lot of

excitement about ongoing debates, certainly, Syria has hit the

headlines. They say that if the sun comes up, Congress claims Obama.

So, he will probably be quite pleased to be here. And Presidents

always get a warm welcome in this part of the world, don't they?

do. It was Bill Clinton who came first, and it is a different time

and place now, and a very different President. Of course, here is not

just here to visit Northern Ireland, but for another reason altogether.

We know that Northern Ireland will be making the most of it for tourism

purposes. Fermanagh is beautiful, of course, and you would want to be

playing that up. But of course, we are out of the way, as some have

said, we are on the road to nowhere, that is why we are here! But then we

are a beautiful place. Because he was trying to refocus it on the good

reasons for protesting about the G8 leaders being here, to draw

attention to world hunger. And those protests were not seem to have

materialised in the numbers that had been expected? Probably, the

heightening of the need for security, and who can blame security

bosses for doing that, as probably deterred a lot of potential

protesters, who have not been able to get anywhere near it, and have

probably thought, they will not hear us, which is a bit of a shame. On

Saturday, the Belfast protest was very small. There were a couple of

tenths, as shown on some of the front pages today, as against the

huge security. So, perhaps the security overkill has been effective

in wiping the protest off the map. But it has to be there, that

security. Certainly. In America, where I was last week, the protests

were getting some attention. I frequently get calls from American

friends, about possible protests at City Hall, and so, in some ways, the

dampening of the effect of the protests might enable us to refocus

on the question of, what will these nations do about the international

crisis going on, and the ongoing crisis in terms of poverty, wealth

and redistribution? One Tamim was the one which I thought President

Barack Obama might we facing protests about. -- one Tamim obey.

Also, it is his first visit to Northern Ireland. The North was

never going to be as overwhelmed by the arrival of this President as the

South was. But he could've expected a protest somewhere in the back

ground. It could still happen. Of course, we have got a hunger strike

going on in Guantanamo at the moment. Catherine Clinton, just act

from the United States, has brought me this very handsome package of

First Lady Mints. We will take into those while we listen to the speech.

But let's go straight to the Waterfront now, to join Tara Mills.

Well, it is a very tight schedule here this morning, and I am pleased

to say we are joined by the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness.

How significant is today? I think it is hugely significant. This is

President Obama's first visit to the North. Peter Robinson and I have

been in his place on five occasions, so it is wonderful for us to have

the opportunity to welcome him here to Northern Ireland. The

significance lies in the very strong relationship we have with the United

States of America, in terms of thousands of new jobs coming from

direct investment, and also, the importance for our own peace

process, which is seen by President Obama and many others as the most

successful his process in the world today. It seems that Presidents

almost cannot resist the lure of the peace process, but for the ordinary

person in the street, what can they hope to gain from this visit? We

have proven that in the course of the last three or four years, we

have created more jobs, add more direct investment, from North

America, then at any other time in the history of the northern state.

That comes from the very strong relationship we had with Secretary

of State Clinton, who sponsored for us a very important economic

investment conference in the State Department, and President Obama is

still very committed to that. Also, it is hugely significant that here,

we have the world 's leaders coming to a place which is seen as the most

successful place for making peace anywhere on the planet. That has to

send a very strong message to them about their responsibilities to

bring peace to a very troubled world. Also, to end hunger and to

face up to the in inequalities and injustices in the world. Some people

have questioned about, why should I go and meet with President Obama? I

should go and meet with him to articulate views which I feel

strongly about, but to do it in a positive and democratic way. Toggle

it is no panacea, though, the peace process here, and we still have

obviously ongoing problems with sectarianism - what will you be

saying to President Obama, and what do you hope he will say to the other

people here today? We will say that divided, we are very weak, but

United, we can be very strong. I think today, we will hear an

articulation from President Obama of how far we have come. This place has

been transformed. But still we have some considerable way to go to bear

down on sectarianism and racism within our society. There is still a

job to be done. We as politicians bear the biggest responsibility to

take that forward and make a better life for all of our people. We have

thousands of kids here in the Waterfront Hall. Some of these

children were not even born at the time of the cease-fires. It is our

responsibility to build a better place for them, and to have them

living freely in a society which is comfortable with each other's

legitimate political opinions. I think we will wait and hear what he

has two say, but quite clearly, resident Obama is very engaged in

this process. We have met him on five occasions, so this is a man who

understands the importance of peace, and of making a contribution,

which hopefully he will do again today Doc or we will have to leave

it there. The President is about to touch down. Yes, in fact, he has

touched down. Grey skies out there at the international airport. The

President has had a long flight, but no doubt he and the First Lady will

be well freshened up by the time he steps onto the tarmac. David Cameron

arrived in Enniskillen last night. The Japanese premier also arrived

last night. Angela Merkel of course will be arriving during the course

of the morning. So, they have got a pretty tight schedule. After this,

the presidential party will be airlifted in the presidential

helicopter, and they will go to Belfast City Airport, from whence

there will be a motorcade along the bypass to the Waterfront Hall. That

will be about an hour in there, and then the President will make his way

to Enniskillen, and the First Lady will move on to Dublin, where she

has been invited to take part in the celebrations marking the 50th

anniversary of John Kennedy's visit to Dublin. That's just go back to my

guests. We should speak a bit about Michelle Obama. Her ancestry may

also be traced back apparently to this part of the world... Yes, with

the election of Barack Obama, we looked at really an amazing

American, someone who had roots in Africa, and in America, but also the

exploration of Michelle Obama's ancestry. She discovered much about

her ancestry when a New York Times reporter went in search of her roots

and traced them all the way back to a young, six-year-old girl who was

sold from South Carolina to Georgia, and looked up the fact that the

child that she produced may have been a child which was fathered by

her master, who had, I believe it has been traced back to Ulster Scots

roots. This is very typical of African-Americans, and it is

something which we are we exploring. Again, talking about it being a

wonderful place where peace is now, and I think in the United States, we

had a bit of a war about 150 years ago, and peace was achieved, and

indeed, it is great to see that the President comes in search of his

roots. He was in the South a couple of years ago, and now, Michelle

Obama is bringing her daughter. So, we are we exploring the family

history. For her to touch down in this region I think is quite

historic. Let's go back to the Waterfront Hall, where Tara has got

the Secretary of State, I believe. Yes, Secretary of State, we have

heard Martin McGuinness's views on the significance of today dashed

from your point of view, what will this mean for Northern Ireland?

is fantastic that President Obama is visiting Northern Ireland for the

first time, alongside seven of the other most powerful leaders in the

world. It is our chance to show what huge progress has been made in

Northern Ireland, and this political settlement, just a few years ago,

before that, this kind of sum it would've been on thinkable here.

Now, we can tell the world what a great place Northern Ireland is to

visit and to invest in. It is a great opportunity. When it comes to

the security operation, it has been massive, but it has not been

required so far. I am afraid a very vigilant approach to security is

always necessary, and for an event on the scale of the G8, inevitably,

the police operation is huge. All the G8s over recent years have been

marred by Public order issues. So far, that has not happened for this

G8, which I think is a test me to the very effect of planning and

preparation done by the PSNI. -- a testament. It was absolutely vital

that we should produce this week security operation, to make sure

that we keep not only the G8 leaders and delegations safe, but everybody

else as well. Do you think we will gain more foreign investment from

America as a result of this visit? I think so. For many people around the

world, they still viewed Northern Ireland through the lens of the

troubles. The name Northern Ireland still conjures up for many people

pictures of the 1970s and 1980s, of street conflicts and terrorist

violence. This is a good opportunity to demonstrate the scenic beauty of

Northern Ireland, the fact that the quality of life here is great, and

that it is a brilliant place for investment. That must help enable

Northern Ireland to compete in the competitive global race for jobs and

investment. We did have some skirmishes in east Belfast last

night - were you disappointed about that? As I say, with every single G8

in recent years, there have been protests, some of which have been

violent. It would be impossible to be able to get through the whole of

the G8 with not a single arrest, with no public order issues at all.

Of course, it is a grave concern whenever public order problems arise

in Northern Ireland. But the PSNI and their partners have done a

tremendous job to prepare for this important summit, and I am

absolutely confident that they will be doing their very best to keep

people safe and secure, and make sure that we have a successful

summit. What do you think President of Obama's message will be to the

young people today? I have not seen his speech yet, but I hope that he

will have a message of hope about the future of Northern Ireland,

about the fact that so much has been achieved, but also that there is

further work to be done to address sectarian divisions. He will know

that for many people in Northern Ireland, they have entirely left

behind those preconceptions and prejudices, but for some, there are

still exist deep divisions between themselves and their neighbours.

Reconciliation and trust is an important task for the government

over future years, and I am sure President Obama will have something

to say about that. Think you very much indeed for joining us. From the

Waterfront Hall, it is back to you, Noel Thompson. And we are going to

stay with these pictures of Air Force One at the international

airport. Plenty of water on the airport. Plenty of water on the

tarmac there. The security people moving into situation. We have come

a long way since Franklin Roosevelt took the first-ever flight by a US

President. He flew to take part in a conference with Winston Churchill

and other Allied leaders in Morocco in 1943. It took him three days,

apparently, to get here, in a Boeing, known as the flying boat. He

had to go to South America before flying across the Atlantic.

President Obama is a frequent passenger on this Air Force One.

There are in fact two. Whichever one he is on of course is Air Force One.

And he has been all over the world in it. He has taken hundreds of

flights, not just internationally, but within the US as well. If you

interesting facts about Air Force One. The President's suite is in the

nose, and it has a spacious office. There is a medical facility, an

operating table and every medicine known to mankind. Then there is

another conference room, accommodation for Secret Service

agents. 76 passengers in total. They can watch movies, make calls or even

access the internet. I could go on for hours! And we may have two, if

it's takes a long time to get out of the plane. You would imagine that

the couple have woken up sometimes ago. One of those great care is the

situation in Syria. It is thought that that issue might dominate what

happens in Fermanagh. We had the meeting in London yesterday between

President Putin and David Cameron, two irreconcilable positions there.

It is a big headache for the President. I think it is a big

headache for the world. But Obama did declare that he would definitely

take action if chemical weapons were proven to be used. Very careful

wording there. And then what an shoot was indeed evidence. And then

there is the matter of, will America intervene, will America stand by and

let there be genocide against a group of people again? And I do

think the weight of the world can be on the President, but clearly, he

must sleep, he must rest, and he must make these good gestures,

coming to speak to a hall of young people, and, as you point out,

everybody is excited to think about the Kennedy visit to Ireland, 50

years ago, or the Clinton visit. Some of my students from Queen's

University will be in that hall, and as has been said, they might not

even have been born when this Northern Ireland peace process took

place. For them, I think Obama does represent something, hope for use,

the power of education. Michelle Obama very much believes in that. --

for youths. He was a student at Harvard when I was teaching there,

and Michelle was at Winston. As a couple, they very much represent the

amazement of American education, the rise through the ranks, so, they are

a very powerful couple, in what they represent, which is very symbolic.

Hopefully some of that charisma can rub off on the other G8 people.

Michelle Obama has been very involved with young people and she's

got this whole project, for example, about youth obesity and she's really

made that a focus of her time as First Lady?

And military families. We are witnesses, I think, really historic

times with the rise of suicides, the rise of those in young people,

veterans. These are issues we all need to address internationally. So

even though it's to the great discomfort of President pew meeting

with Cameron to look at these issues and try and smile, coming together

is a very powerful metaphor -- President Putin. Fionnuala, just

looking at the body language yesterday in London, at the news

conference, I mean, you said Catherine said coming together, and

that's very much what these G8 Summits are supposed to be about,

establishing united fronts. What whatever they say about tax, trade,

Syria and the divergence of opinion is going to leave something of a bad

taste this week? A lot of this the stage management for the people

primarily involved and David Cameron pushed it in that meeting with Putin

yesterday and he overstepped the mark. He decided to sound very tough

and decided to sound as though he could push Putin around and pew, as

we all know, you do not do that to. So you got this macho thing back

about eating organs and the striking and most shocking thing he could

say, which set the thing off to a pretty bad start, I would have

thought. Given that Syria was simmering away there, near the top

of the agenda, in any case. The cynical and I think very realistic

way of looking at G8s is that the G8, it's now the G20 who count.

Italy is there as a major economic power. Nobody really thinks G8s

produce anything dramatic or concrete any more. The best it can

do is nod towards the next meeting, which is the G20 meeting. If tax

avoidance comes very far up the list and if there's a strong enough

communique, that might produce something. Over to Enniskillen. Our

Political Editor, Mark Devonport is looking forward to what is going to

be happening there. Mark Hi, Noel. I know you are looking at

the pictures there of President Obama's plane, Air Force One, at

Belfast International. I have somebody with me who's travelled in

that plane many times, Nancy Soderbergh. You would have been on

that trip, wouldn't you, when President Clinton first came to

Northern Ireland, so you would know what is going on in that plane right

now and the preparations? Absolutely in. The front there is a little

travelling Oval Office and they'll be going over the President's

remarks. Some excitement too, this is his first trip to Northern

Ireland. I was on the plane with President Clinton when he came in 95

for the historic visit. I'll never forget the crowds at that Belfast

City when the President spoke to peace, and people voted for peace

that day. The crowd wanted it and knew that peace would hold. I'm here

to open the Clinton Centre here today in Enniskillen. The fact that

the President is testament to the progress the Irish have made and we

are all very proud of that. President Clinton spent a lot of

time in Northern Ireland. It was unprecedented in terms of the US

administration getting a hands-on involvement. President Obama's been

more hands-off, Martin McGuinness making the point they've been there

five times and this is his first time here. Do you think the balance

is right? Yes. At the time of the beginning of the peace process,

President Clinton needed to be very involved, George Mitchell needed to

be very involved. The trust on both sides was non-existent so you needed

a trusted intermediary, such as the United States, to get them talking

to each other. It's appropriate to step back and have the two sides

talking it through. They should do it on their own. But President

Obama's very committed to doing whatever he needs to keep the peace

process going. But it's now up to the parties, the United States

strongly supports them, as does the Prime Ministers of both Ireland and

Britain, but they need to do it on their own now. Speculation over the

weekend about him maybe appointing a US Special Envoy. The White House

was playing that down. Do you think those days are gone? Well, I think

the need for a full-time day-to-day hands-on manager was essential in

the 1990s and today, I think you've got the devolved Government

functioning, you have got progress. It's slower than you want to it be

with the peace walls still up, the integration is slower than you would

like it to be, but they are getting there, the peace is irversible.

People should know that the United States, if we need them, are there

for us. Thank you very much. I gather the steps are going up to the

plane. Noel, you will be chatting us through the last moments. It's

pretty vital the staircase is actually securely locked on there in

order to allow the President, Michelle and his two daughters to

make their way safely on to Northern Ireland terrain. They'll have

thought about that, Mark, at some length and they'll not be waiting

for the bus to carry them to the terminal, as moat of us have to.

These are just the last minutes there. The two daughters coming with

the family this time. They'll be going down to Dublin and to Wicklow

and with their mother. An exciting time for them. They don't often get

to go on these international visits, Catherine, do they? No. When school

is out, and many American universities are still in session

waiting for graduation here. There's been graduations all across the US.

Jubilation on the part of the young people and I'm glad that that's a

theme. Indeed, the youth of any country can be its best resource. I

think both the Obamas treasure that and bringing their girls to Ireland

emphasises that. Very much the whole theme of - not a theme but a reality

during this Presidency - has been the centrality of the family. During

the whole campaigning, they, Michelle insisted on coming back

home as often as she could. There was never being away for a month

going around the country, they always came home again and she's

said repeatedly how the centrality of her girls to her life has enabled

her to think about other children? There's been some criticism of her

taking the role, as First Mom, feminists would like her to expand

on that, but she was a working mother, she was there for her

children as the President was campaigning for the presidency,

which is probably as much of a strain as anything on her family

life. So, there we are. Oh, and here we have the

presidential family. That's the President and Mrs Obama and Sasha

and Malia. That's Malia with the President now.

Sorry, that's Sasha, the younger one. They are so grown up!

Yes. There's Mary Peters. I haven't seen the face of her. I beg your

pardon. I was assuming she would be met by the Lord Lieutenant of

Belfast, Mary Peters, clearly not. That's not her. A little bit of

light conversation there. It's quite warm in the States at the moment?

was in the 90s last week in Washington. We are sure that a trip

abroad for the family together is really an historic occasion.

Wonderful. Get out of the cold! Let them out of the cold!

Welcomed by Alan Foster and Michelle O'Neill, the executive ministers.

Michelle O'Neill and Eileen Foster, of course. And I'm just wondering if

that is the high Sheriff of Belfast, yes, Brian Kingston and his wife

greeting the First Minister. wonder what are they saying. It's

always like this. Yes. It's so nice. When Michelle Obama was in England,

she was criticised a bit for putting hands on the Queen, but I'm sure she

thought of her as quite frail, although we know she's very tough.

She's just being her gracious self-and there was quite a bit of

flak in the press. She's a tall woman as well, isn't she? Tall women

I go on a Transatlantic flight. are also looking very J Crew. Mrs

Obama Haslett her two daughters find their own style and follow hers.

Crew being an outfitter, for those not familiar with the term. It's

stylish, going global. Style can be very is international. The wattage

the girls can throw with their smiles, they can match their

parents, in a way. Nip's even looking at the President. They are

all concentrating on the two girls and Michelle.

-- no-one's even looking at the President. They are all

concentrating on the two girls and A few relaxed moments. The rest of

the day will be fringe etick of course, as it always is, in these

situations. I suppose the Waterfront is a nice interlude for the

President and his family before the serious business for him at least

begins at Enniskillen this afternoon. A lot of hard talking to

be done. Well dressed girls. Look at the

shoes! Stst so marvellous. For the inauguration, the headlines were

full of Michelle's new haircut. So we have these kinds of... A lot of

touching going on here. Nice to see. They very seldom appear on the world

stage. They've been very protected, intentionally so, from all this. So

this, I suppose, is a big moment for them. There's the Marine One.

Clinton daughter was well protect and now she's a member of the press.

She suffered quite a lot, of course, through her childhood I think. Not

only for family reasons. But from the press. Yes. She got quite a hard

time. We'll all remember that. The many members of the White House

press corps, of course, they get off the plane at the back steps, of

course. And the Secret Service too. Always, always.

Back quickly to Enniskillen and Mark Devonport.

Noel, we were just watching the pictures there from International

Airport. Obviously, I think they are now going to the do a helicopter

transfer into town. I was making the point to somebody that I think the

White House let it be known that Sasha had a dance rescietal before

she got on the plane -- recital. They would have set off about 3. 30

am local time, so they are probably fairly tired at the moment, but it's

going to be obviously quite an event I think for the girls as well who

'll probably appear at the Waterfront Hall, alongside all the

young people. Michelle Obama will be making the introduction, the opening

address before her husband takes to the stage.

You seem to be getting better weather in the lakes than they are

at the international airport anyway, Mark. That bodes well for whatever

tourist potential will emanate from this G8?

Yes. Enniskillen's been looking pretty good. It's overcast, but

certainly not as bad as the weather that we are seeing on the screens at

add orgrove. If it stays this way, it will be impressive. In terms of

visits from US dignitaries, what's happening right now, you would

contrast with the last visit by the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton,

when she arrived here in the teeth of the marching, sorry, the flag

dispute involving the storm of the parties. That was quite a difficult

farewell visit for her. You might remember she ended up visiting Naomi

Long at that stage who was facing a death threat. When the President

gets to speak in the Waterfront Hall, he'll make the most of the

fact that the DUP and Sinn Fein got their act together in terms o of a

shared future and made the announcement. He'll be very much

accentuating the positive. Whilst the role of the US is probably less

than otherwise would have been the situation under the Clinton

administration, it's significant that our politicians decided to get

their act together in time for the visit and the G8 when they knew that

the global spotlight would be upon there were queues of people, mostly

young people, schoolchildren, from right across Northern Ireland, going

through security. Literally, it took an hour and a half to get everybody

through. It was pretty miserable, drizzly conditions, it has to be

said. Just looking across, just outside the High Court in Belfast, a

small crowd has gathered, I just wonder if there is a bit of wishful

thinking going on, that they might catch a glance of the President and

his wife when they arrive. But it is not on the itinerary, any sort of

walkabout or handshaking. But certainly some people in Belfast

thought it might be worth coming down. Moving on to the children, it

is no accident that resident Obama is coming to talk to young people.

He is probably going to try to inspire them, but we were speaking

to some of them as they came in, and Maggie Taggart has this report. The

crowds are waiting outside, nobody has got in yet, but I have managed

to find some people who were at the top of the queue. Why have you been

allowed to come here? My school is very involved with the whole

politics thing, and I am doing my exams, and I was lucky enough to get

selected from my class. Was there a lot of competition? Yes, everybody

was trying to get into see the President. The next stage in the

education world is University - where are you from? I am from

Queen's University, Belfast. It is fantastic to be here. I am President

of the politics Society. It is great to be here. It is great to see such

a big figure as Obama here. There are so many young people here, and

it is great to see young people being taken seriously in terms of

the political process. What would be your message to him? I think I would

say thank you, thank you on behalf of my generation, for America having

played a huge role in the peace process in terms of Northern

Ireland, the Clintons and the Kennedys, and I am glad that Obama

has continued that support. It is great to see him here. Some more

early birds from Lurgan College, is that right? Yes. It is great to be

here. I cannot believe I have had their chance, and I cannot believe

Obama has taken the time. You got a free pass, because you are head girl

and had boy? Yes, we thought that was a big enough honour, but to get

here, it is one-of-a-kind. I would like to say, it is a great thing for

Northern Ireland to have the G8 here. It shows how far we have come.

At the end of the day, Northern Ireland is moving forward, and will

continue to do so. Especially with our generation, we are interested in

moving forward. It will be great to see the President this morning.

would just really try that, this will have a bigger impact than

anybody could imagine. -- reiterate particular, 16-year-old Hannah

Nelson, who will be introducing Michelle Obama onto the stage before

Barack Obama makes his speech. So, a big day for her. But let's hear now

from Professor Rick Wilford. But this into some kind of previous

residential visits. This is the third visit by a serving President.

It was preceded by Bill Clinton, who visited twice when he was President,

and then George Bush, too fleeting visits. Clinton also had one after

he had ceased being President. So in total, it is the six the visit. It

was Clinton who got the show on the road initially, and then President

Bush, to get it back on the road. But he was much less hands-on than

Clinton, in creating a helpful context, which led to St Andrews.

So, getting it on the road, getting it back on the road, and now, Obama

be trying to keep the momentum going. He is in his second and final

term, so he has got no electoral interest himself, so it is probably

partly a favour to the British Government, but also because we have

got this new economic pact which was announced with the Executive last

Friday, among other things, creating special area status. It was the

United States is so important as a source of foreign investment in the

Northern Ireland economy, I think in that respect, coming on the back of

that fact, I think this is going to give this a big momentum. As you

said before, there are so many young people here this morning, plus, he

is accompanied by his two daughters, so this will be saying to the

politicians, you need to keep this on the road, because you have got

the younger generation here, full of anticipation and hope for the

future. Not least of course his own daughters. And I think that will be

the message. It is a nudge in the back for our politicians, to make

sure that there are no obvious obstacles towards Northern Ireland

to becoming a society which is at ease with itself, and its economy,

hopefully, will be able to develop and create employment opportunities

for the young generation. When it comes to the choreography of all of

this, obviously, from the comments he made on said Patrick 's day, to

Downing Street on Friday, it has all been carefully put in place. Yes,

there is nothing left to chance with visits like this. Everything is

carefully preplanned. Everything will have been made clear to the UK

government, and to the politicians here in Northern Ireland. But I

think Obama's speech back on St Patrick's Day was all about saying,

you need to make progress on a shared future. I think it is no

accident that the Shared Future document came out a few weeks ago,

and this comes on the back of that. I think President Obama has been

instrumental in encouraging progress on that front. So, yes, it will be

carefully choreographed, there will not be many things off message, but

it is going to give the current policy developers a fair wind, to

further encourage politicians along the path towards a shared future.

That is where Obama is a particular role, in addition to that of trying

to sell Northern Ireland as a place for direct investment. And North

America is really important as a source of investment for our

economy. When it comes to looking back at the other visits, I suppose

Bill Clinton had a pop star status, and I suppose foul and his wife and

daughters have that as well. There was certainly a buzz among people I

spoke to this morning. Absolutely. Clinton came in 1995 and 1998. That

was a time when we had the enormity of the Omagh bombing. Clinton had a

very familiar style, and I think there is a view that Obama is a bit

more of a lofty figure, because he is much more like an intellectual.

He taught law in Chicago for 12 years before becoming a politician.

But the fact that the youngsters are coming is a real joy. No doubt there

are many who will be taking fashion tips from what the two Obama orders

are wearing. -- Obama daughters. But it is just the fact that he has

brought the family, although they will not be at Enniskillen, because

they are off to Dublin, but nevertheless, the fact that they are

here is going to add to that message, that this is about the

future. It is kind of symbolic. It is exciting for everyone.

Particularly, for schoolchildren, some of whom will be studying

politics. American Presidents have celebrity status. Some carry that

burden much more likely than others. I think George Bush struggled with

it for a variety of reasons. But Clinton and Obama had and have star

appeal. I think the fact that he has made this decision to come prior to

the G8 discussions I think is really important for the symbolism. This is

the most powerful man in the world, and the nuclear trigger will be

accompanying him during his stay. I suspect Northern Ireland in itself

will not be significantly on the agenda for the G8... There are a lot

of other issues, Syria being a particular difficulty. It is

interesting, though, you mentioned the politics students, a lot of them

are from integrated schools, lots of politics students, but are you

surprised perhaps by the lack of protest, if you like, among young

people, against the G8? Are we looking inward in Northern Ireland

rather than looking at the global stage? There are all kinds of

protest is. The people who are exercised by G8 in general, it

encompasses such a wide range of organisations, people are concerned

about tackling hunger and poverty and health issues, malnutrition,

others are anti-system for ideological reasons, but a lot of

young people are involved in the NGOs, voluntary organisations, which

are involved in delivering services to those abroad who are in real

difficulty, in terms of deprivation, hunger and so on. But the mood now,

I think the fact that there were very people -- very few people at a

rally on Saturday, it would be partly the weather, but also, so

many people are struggling in their own lives, with austerity and so on,

I doubt they are expecting great things from the G8. Actually, that

responsibility is down to us. It is entirely up to the people in

Northern Ireland to tackle the underlying structural weaknesses

here. Bill Clinton famously said, it is the economy, stupid. But it is

the economy for us. We have such a high level of unemployment and

economic inactivity. The risk for Northern Ireland is that we export a

lot of our human capital because of the lack of employment

opportunities. The part of the package which was announced about

the 10,000 internship faces, which is fine of itself, but, will there

be jobs? That is the key question, isn't it? We will leave it there for

the moment. Back to Noel Thompson. Thank you. We will just stay with

the pictures from the Waterfront Hall. Apparently, six pupils invited

from each of the schools, something like 1500 kids there. Just a quick

word of apology to the Lord left tenant of County Antrim, it was she

who greeted the milk of its as they walked down from the plane. I did

not recognise her. David Cameron arrived in Belfast last night. He of

course is the host of the G8 summit. And he has been speaking in

Fermanagh this morning about what is on the agenda. I'm delighted to

welcome world leaders here to Northern Ireland for the G8 Summit.

The agenda is one we have about helping to grow the world together,

both the developing countries but both the developing countries but

also the developed countries too. We have seized on three areas that can

make a difference to hard-working families around the world. Making

sure we have more trade deals to keep prices down, making sure we

have greater transparency so we can help developing countries get the

tax and the revenue they need, and this issue of taxation, making sure

we crack down on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance so right

across the world, countries get the tax revenue needed to keep taxes

down for hard-working people. To make sure we can have good health

and education systems for all our people. That's what the G8 is about.

It's a very strong agenda and I look forward to welcoming everybody here

to Northern Ireland to discuss these and other issues too. Big issues

indeed. Fionnuala O'Connor is with me still. Talking about tax there.

They have their dependencies in for a chat. The Cayman Islands and all

the others have said "yeah, yes". get them together and have them say

yes of course we'll be more transparent, we'll be more

regulated, doesn't really mean anything, but it's the sort of

thing, it's the fig leaf that David Cameron had to bring into a meeting

like this. Nobody really intends to do anything very drastic. It's just

a question of presentation. Has what people might call the

Google tax scandal made much of an impression stateside? Well, no. I

think the issue, of course, of our being in a brave new world where we

are looking at a globalisation, we are looking at companies moving

money, moving people, moving businesses, something that I think

my students are much more interest and familiar with. If you speak to

them about Starbucks and Google being the bad guys, I think they

would have a very different view. I find it ironic to talk about taxes

because here we are over 200 years later, the British and the Americans

having their battles over taxes which I think started a revolution

in 1776. Maybe we are looking to 2016 to be a new tax revolution

because we do have to think about the prosperity of youth around the

world, not just in American companies. But Ireland had a special

relationship. It was the capital where Google put its technology, put

its idealogy. Ireland is looked at as an economic engine. Remember, the

20th century, one out of every two Irish people left the Ireland and a

lot of them ended up in America and a lot of them started companies and

immigration as is the engine Barack Obama looks to.

We have had the Finance Minister accusing the Republic of Stealing

our taxes? ! Effectively on being a tax haven. I think that's more DUP

presentation because we have various messages coming out at the same time

Fermanagh, Arlene spoke within DUP internal politics.

For viewers just joining us, we are showing you the Waterfront Hall in

Belfast where Michelle Obama, the First Lady of the United States, and

her husband, Barack Obama will be joining us. A full auditorium made

up mainly of school children from schools right across Northern

Ireland and other members of the great and good of the society, I'm

sure. It's mainly going to be focussed on the children. We

understand that the President will be talking about the need to work

hard to foster an integrated society. These are themes he

mentioned in his White House speech earlier this year. They talked about

the hard work that needed to be done and the need to reject people who

wanted to look backwards always to look forward. He'll address that

theme at some length today. He'll be introduced by his wife, Michelle

Obama, the First Lady of the United States. She, as we have been

discussing in the studio earlier this morning, is very focussed on

young people. She's done a lot of work in her five year, in the White

House with young people and continues to do that to make it her

priority. Very fitting she should be here to address this gathering of

young people. The President arrived about 40 minutes ago. He arrived at

the international airport Aldergrove, then transferred to the

Air Force helicopter, Marine One, which is taking him to the City

Airport. From there, there 'll be a motorcade to the Waterfront. So we

are not quite sure how all that is progressing. As soon as we have live

pictures of any of that journey, we'll bring them to you. My

colleague, Tara Mills... Oh, Catherine you wanted to say

something? Some other interviewers and speakers have been talking about

the image of Northern Ireland and Belfast. I want to point out in the

last few years, the MTV Worthington Cup awards have been in Belfast. The

spotlight has been on Belfast in different ways. If you ask people

about the past or their image, the Game of Thrones is filmed here, we

had another film being done in Enniskillen with Colin Farrell, so

there's a new image that's been going forward that Mrs Clinton, as

Secretary of State, appointed Declan Kelly to come over and drum up

business. The young people are looking to Belfast in a different

way. You are mentioning Northern Ireland, but I think Belfast as a

"capital of Europe" has been a centre with good craic.

What about Londonderry? Well, let's join Tara at the Waterfront. Tara.

Thanks, Noel. Just taking a look at the pictures. There are pictures

everywhere, Facebook and Twitter must be going overboard at the

minute. A lot of anticipation about this visit and the young people here

in the room won't remember the previous presidential visits,

particularly the first one of President Clinton back in 1995.

Let's look back at the previous presidential visits.

Four, three, two, one... We remain Americans. As people of

Northern Ireland, partners for security, partners for prosperity

and, most important, partners for peace.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE It's thanks to Bill Clinton and the

peace process that Northern Ireland has become a go-to location for US

Presidents. It's 18 years since he first visited our shores, a year

after the first IRA and loyalist ceasefires. In Derry in particular,

he got the reception of a pop star rather than a politician.

Standing here in front of the Guild Hall looking out over these historic

walls, I see a peaceful city, a safe city, a hopeful city full of young

people that should have a peaceful and prosperous future here where

their roots and families are. That is what I see today with you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE It was a meticulously planned visit

with both sides at all-times represented and included.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States...

Here in Northern Ireland, you are making a miracle.

But it was a much more sombre occasion on his second trip. It

followed the Real IRA bomb in Omagh. He mingled with the crowds weeks

after the bomb ripped the town apart. As much as Northern Ireland

seemed to welcome Clinton with open arms, it also appeared to be one of

his favourite stages. The adulation and welcome he and his wife received

was obviously hard to ignore. His commitment to the peace process was

beyond question. He mastered the detail and knowledge of the key

players, but it gave him respite from one crisis after another back

home. His visits including his final one in 2000 always seemed to

coincide with a push at vital stages of the peace process. When he said

his goodbyes in 2000, it was thought Air Force One would no longer be

flying in. But, by 2003, the US had a new President and he popped by,

not once but twice. I'm impressed by the progress that

is being made toward peace and reconciliation. Matter-of-fact, the

world is impressed by the progress being made towards peace and

reconciliation. I want you to know that the President plays his part in

this. After a troupe to the republic two years ago, President Obama is

following in the foot steps of his predecessors. -- trip to the

republic. No American President can resist a trip here.

We were just reflecting here, most of the young people in the

Waterfront today would not have been born at that first visit of

President Clinton. Many of them not even for the second visit,

Fionnuala? Lot don't remember how it began or even ended, the technical

peace process that you could say finished in 1998 with the Good

Friday Agreement. That's way beyond young people's memory. But for us,

looking at shots of Clinton, it's fascinating to remember as well that

he originally came against a backdrop of considerable suspicion

and dislike. He made that welcome that now exists for Barack Obama.

That was Clinton's creation. It was part of the peace process that he

came to be seen as impartial and as a man of goodwill to the whole of

Northern Ireland. He was getting a lot out of it himself. He was using

it as a useful distraction later on from the Monica Lewinsky affair. He

gave it his all and his listening, anybody who saw it in the

Springfield in the factory when he managed to simultaneously project

goodwill and listen to everybody and come up with wonderful well-tuned

speeches. The speech and the presentation began as he touched

down. At the time, I remember us, the media, got a screen of script

from Air Force One which was of a press conference on board.

Catherine, President Clinton had an extraordinary ability to relate to

people in a way that George W just really didn't have, or we didn't see

much of that? He was actually a very different man, George W, than the

man projected on the international stage. As a President representing

the country, he just didn't have that ease of communication that Bill

Clinton had? No. The connections. I think Barack Obama has shown,

especially recently since his re-election that he can be at ease.

Many of his speeches recently giving an immigration speech, a mobile

phone went off and he made a joke about it. I think he has come into

his own in some ways. Clearly, you can see with his body language that

he's embracing that. People see that. He wanted to speak to the

young. He wants to make a connection with youth. I think he's an

emboatiment of that, a youthful President, in many ways, with a

young family, connecting with another President of the 20th

century, JFK. Third President in a row to win a second term, of course,

both Clinton, George W and now President Obama. This is

traditionally a lame duck President then, you know, a year into a second

term. Just trying to bring about his legacy and think about that and

maybe not succeeding in very much? There is a bit of rein-I

havingration that he's making appointments. Samantha Power, who's

written about genocide and Susan Rice, so he's flexing his muscles to

step on to the international stage -- rein-I havingration.

Medical care has been brought to many Americans. He's got that. He's

been a big disappointment in human rights terms. Been defeated in gun

control. A huge issue. Youth and guns is a huge problem. Certainly

the question of destablisation and the delivery of health care, mental

health care, is something very much connected to guns. Maybe the

delivery of more health care to our congress members who can see that

there is a shooting in Santa Monica, the anniversary of the New Town

shootings. People are talking ability these issues. And, can we

use his power during this presidency, because indeed, he's not

seeking re-election. I think we can pick up the cameras. Some pictures

there from the shipyard, the cavalcade making its way. It's a big

cavalcade, isn't it? Are they all presidential cars? ! And, some

ordinary motorists may have gotten caught up in it. Althoerks I thawns

the bypass has been closed. -- although, I understand that the

bypass has been closed. Some trains were delayed for a short while

earlier because of protests. Also major disruption to roads. If

nothing else, the President's got us all out of bed earlier because the

roads at 7 were normally like they are at 8. If nothing else, the

that there is nobody else in the Hilton, except the Secret Service.

Everybody else was ferried off to another hotel this morning.

Queen's University closed over the weekend, in anticipation of the

protest right next door, which was actually a concert, and was actually

peaceful. So, it is nice to see that some of the anticipated disruption

is instead going to result in music and goodwill. In other words,

looking places down is preventative, and we need to think about the way

in which, not that it is not important to be careful, but I think

some of the goodwill might be rubbing off now. What do you think -

I mean, peaceful protest is a good thing, any democratic society will

agree - but is it as a ball to underestimate the kind of feeling

there is about this? Is Northern Ireland too far away from the rest

of protesters in the UK? Or everybody? I presume the protesters

could not muster people from abroad. I presume the Occupy wave of protest

just could not stretch itself to get over here. There is the little

matter of water, either flights or ferries. Any sense that Fermanagh

might have been chosen for its distance... ? Of course, it was not

just a scenic backdrop, as I was trying to say earlier on, but it was

remote. It is Gleneagles with a moat around it. It really is like that if

you think about it. Let's go back to the Waterfront, to join Tara.

we have just been watching the cavalcade going past. Joining me now

is Naomi Long, the MP for East Belfast. What does this mean for

Belfast? It is a huge opportunity for Northern Ireland as a whole, in

terms of promoting ourselves on the world stage. What will really matter

is the legacy left behind, not just for Northern Ireland, but the global

legacy. I want to see some positive moves coming out of the G8 in terms

of trying to deal with world hunger and issues like tax transparency.

These affect people in developing nations so much more than they

affect us. That would be a huge positive for Northern Ireland.

the history of the last six months or so, it is difficult, so how big

an impact do you think it will have? In terms of what has happened

today, with President Obama coming here, speaking to a packed house, I

think that is a really positive thing. It shows the Americans are

still really interested in the peace process here in Northern Ireland. I

think we should take heart from that. It is important to have

influential friends, and we have to capitalise on that and put a

positive front out for Northern Ireland, after what has been a

difficult year for us. How important do you think Friday's announcement

was from Downing Street, to keep encouraging companies to invest

here? It is hugely important. I was part of a cross-party delegation in

Westminster. We have to be able to get that investment and support.

That is part of the package. But for me, the most important part is how

the money will be spent. I want to see it spent on things which will

increase sharing, integration and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

The ability will make a contribution to our future more than anything

else. Obviously, the Shared Future document has not been

straightforward, and you have been cynical about that... I do not think

we have been cynical, we have been questioning. We want to be positive

and construct. We want them to put some flesh on the bones of what they

have set out. It is probably the most important political project

that the Northern Ireland Assembly will have to deal with, and we have

to get it right. What is the atmosphere like outside the gym at

quite excitable, quite tense. Everybody is looking forward to the

main man arriving. He does have a star quality, just like President

Clinton had, and of course, many of the young people here in the hall

today were not even born when President Clinton came? Well, I

managed to hear President Clinton, so I have some comparator, and I

thought he was marvellous. I heard President Obama speak in Westminster

last year, and it was a fantastic experience. I hope the young people

here today will have a memory to take away with them for many years

to come. If you were looking at the witches of the gentleman in the

salmon jacket, that is Pete Snowden, the DJ, who has been given the job

of warming up the crowd. -- the pictures. Down in Fermanagh, Mark

Devenport awaits. We have had the Japanese Prime Minister and David

Cameron already arriving - what time does everything kicked off properly

this afternoon? Well, after President Obama has made his speech

at the Waterfront, he is going to come down to meet David Cameron. I

think they may have one engagement in this neck of the woods, and then

they will be moving towards the proper business end of the whole

day. The big question here is, will Vladimir Putin take a splash in the

waters of Loch earn? That is the sort of thing that the Russian

leader has been famed for doing in other parts of the world. There have

been all sorts of rumours knocking around. And apparently, we hear that

David Cameron is going to swim in the swimming pool in the Loch Erne

resort. Mind you, I did read that John Quincy Adams went

skinny-dipping in the River Potomac! Well, as soon as you have

finished chatting to me, I am off over the balcony, down into the

water! I hope the police, and fish me out. I would not name David

Cameron for going for the heated swimming pool! But in terms of the

actual summit, I think in mid-afternoon, they will get down to

the main business. As we have been hearing already, a lot of work has

already been done in terms of the issues to do with tax and trade. It

is done by officials, who are referred to as Sherpas. Just like

the Sherpas going up Mount Everest, they do all the hard work for the

leaders. But there is one thing that these Sherpas which will not be able

to crack, which will be the war in Syria. You could probably give these

leaders as much hospitality as you like, but they are not there to

change their differing views on that. One of the big issues is free

trade between the US and Europe, something which some people might be

surprised that this did not happen many years ago, but there are still

many barriers in that relationship... ? Yes, both the

European Union and the USA say that this could add billions to their

collective wealth, if they come up with a free trade agreement. But

what always happens with these kind of incidents is that it seems like a

no-brainer, when you get into the nitty-gritty of it, people look for

particular advantages for their own economies, and they are worried

about getting undercut in one sector or another. It is a similar issue in

relation to tax. Again, it seems like something where all governments

would seek to have full transparency, so that governments

can start getting some tax income in, but again, the problem is, you

get down to that business of countries competing. Of course, we

know about that, because one of the big policy options which the

Executive has been looking at has been trying to compete with the

Irish Republic's level of corporation tax. The President will

be addressing hundreds of excited if slightly more sleepy than usual

children at the Watergate all this morning. Our correspondence was at

one school when the children find out who would be going along.

Schools all over Northern Ireland must have been excited to get these

invitations. 1500 pupils were offered places for this very special

appointment. This integrated College in North Belfast was given pupils

for teachers and pupils. But how to share them out? A list of selected

names was chosen from Stars & it will be a really good

opportunity. The first one to come out of the box - what were you

thinking? Hopes were going down, but you always think positively. And it

was also a perk for the head boy and head girl. I found out last Monday,

and it was just a phenomenal experience, thinking, you are going

to see Obama, one of the most powerful men in the world. Yes, the

same, I found out just before Stephen and I went and told him. I

was so excited. It is a wonderful opportunity, not just for us but for

the other 16 students who have been picked out. The word is that

teachers had to be barred from putting in multiple entries. I could

not say, but there was one certainty chew, whose name was in the ballot

box six times. Need I say any more? happening at the Waterfront. Not

very much so far. But those 1500 or so school pupils and the several

hundred other people have been sitting very patiently for the last

hour or so, waiting for the arrival of the President and First Lady, and

the two children, Malia and Sasha. We hear that they have been tweeting

and 16 like crazy, and their telephones will be in evidence in

huge numbers when the President appears. -- tweeting and text

texting like crazy. Schools from all over Northern Ireland joining in. We

have seen shots of the presidential cavalcade making its way from the

City Airport. A force one touched down at the international airport,

about one hour and ten minutes ago. Security in evidence of course in

every element. We have got the water police checking things out from that

level. And a huge police presence, a lot of people in Belfast leaving

home an hour earlier today. But the economy is such that you cannot say,

just take the day off. That would be nice! Well, some people have been

told, in city centre businesses, that senior workers should work from

home, and everybody else has got the day off. I heard that from one

institution, it was not exactly a business, it was an educational

establishment. So, off they went with their laptops. Well, it will

not last very long. The formalities at the Waterfront might take even

less than an hour. I can hear cheering, something is happening.

Somebody has seen something! False alarm! . Probably the caretaker.

There will be an introduction from 16-year-old Hannah Nelson, a pupil

at Methodist College. A short speech of introduction. Then we'll have the

First Lady, Michelle Obama, who 'll make a short address. People

standing up now, that will be followed by the President, Barack

Obama. So something seems to be happening. I see people standing up.

Is it a false alarm? They can't be that far away. I'm sure it was ten

minutes ago when we saw the cavalcade. I'm sure there are

introductions to be made. Martin McGuinness is at the Waterfront. I

presume the First Minister may also be there as well. They'll be

renewing old acquaintances. As Mr McGuinness said, they've been five

times to the White House for St Patrick's Day with Mr Obama. No-one

as Irish as Barack Obama. The great American on St Patrick's Day. The

parades begin in New York City. We are glad that Dublin joined in with

its large celebrations. I've been here in Belfast for some parades and

celebrations. It was good to see.

I led the St Patrick's Day parade in New York, well, Gerry Adams led it,

I was standing beside him. Everyone was saying "who's that with Gerry? !

". ". I like when Martin McGuinness said "we've been five times to his

place" rather than the White House. Old acquaintances to be renewed

there. You can see the screens. Although you talked about the

Twittering, the Facebooking, there is an intensity and excitement of

being there. I know for the inauguration, in 50 years, there 'll

be many more people who claim to have been there. But it's a moment

in time that you talked about. I still ran into people who talked

about being there when Clinton gave a speech in the city centre. I hope

these students will go forward with the sense of hope that the President

hopes to impart about the future here in Belfast.

Wasn't it a fact I read somewhere that more groups applied to come to

the inAugust inAugust inauguration than ever before? There was a

massive turnout for the inAugust race. Millions of people? And such

excitement. There was a sense that it was his winning, the people's

choice and it was certainly an outpouring and celebration,

especially of African-Americans who really could confirm that this

wasn't a one-term President. It was a politician supported by all the

people. Certainly an historic African-American President. Has a

distinction of having given the Presidential oath four times, of

course. He did it the first time in his first election. Then one to have

Supreme Court judges made a mistake. John Roberts. He had to do it again.

He was a new Chief Justice. Fair enough. Anyway, he had to do it

twice. After the second election, second inauguration, because it's

traditionally done on the 20th and 20th was a Sunday that time, so they

had to do it on a Monday, but there was a private inauguration on the

Sunday in the White House, so again, President Obama did it. Four hours.

If you didn't hear it the first time, you caught it the second. The

Bibles are always something that he uses, the Lincoln Bibles. It's an

amazing year. We, in America, hope that Barack Obama might attend the

150th anniversary of the get Isberg address, the moving ceremony on the

field. This is a year of the 1250thsen teenial of the Civil War,

something I think bringing together to people in a several war is

something historic -- 150th centenial. An intersection of many

of these moments of commemoration here in a City of Belfast, very

historic. The decade of remembrance, isn't it,

Fionnuala? It's been a long, drawn-out antically climax. I don't

think anybody hoped we'd get through it with less than trouble or

back-biting, but actually there's been less interest than we thought.

Barack Obama also of course used a Bible used by Martin Luther king,

another link to the past. I think we are looking at the camera focussing

occasionally on good-looking young women, how some of the pupils here

have managed to turn up not in uniform, but in their very best

pretty dresses. I wonder if there might be sixth formers, formal

school ends before exams - I'm guessing - but that perhaps is why.

There you go. Phones and cameras at the ready.

Will they all remember to turn them off? !

Why are have we been asked to stand so early? I was wondering whether

that might be a choir or something, a musical welcome. We nope flash

mobs will erupt. The protesters I was hoping to see more of.

knitting protest? Yes. They were nowhere to be seen. I understand

that one woman I saw quoted in the paper today is going to attach some

knitted epaulettes to the fencing. So they are in evidence, perhaps not

at the Waterfront, but certainly down in Fermanagh, yes. I don't know

how many of them. If they are in one of the four tents that we understand

have been put up in the protest field. Maybe they are tired from

2012 and just taking a well-deserved breath. Maybe they are listening to

Martin McGuinness who appealed in the Rose Garden of Downing Street

for people to demonstrate in peaceful, responsible fashion.

That's very sweet of them. That sums it all up. There's the former leader

of the IRA getting instructions on how protests should be held. Not

that these protesters would be listening to them, but it's an

indication of how things have been changed. President Obama's

apparently read every Harry Potter book, I'm told. Probably with his

daughters. Reading with children is something that both the Obamas

encourage. They take an active interest in seeing their daughters

get the best of all culture. Sleepovers, pop concerts. He also

collects spiderman and Cona the Barbarian cometic books, I'm told.

There is a nice quite where he said, in terms of the speculation about

his birth certificate and was he an American citizen, he said, actually

I was not born in a manger, I was born in krypton. He said, my

greatest strength is my hue my opinion till, the greater weakness,

perhaps I'm a little too awesome. sense of humour. And here comes

Hannah to introduce the morning's festivities. Hannah Nelson from

Methodist College. Good morning, my name is Hannah Nelson, I'm 16 years

old and I'm from Belfast. I've been thinking about an important

question. How do you Makepeace permanent in Northern Ireland?

Permanent peace in our country is not just a simple dream for me as a

teenager growing up today in Northern Ireland. It's a sincere,

genuine aspiration. I believe that enduring peace can

only come about through true respect for others. We all have a right to

express and celebrate our diverse cultures. We all have an obligation

to value each other as individuals. As a 16-year-old, I don't want to

live in the past. I want to live for the future.

I want to live in a country where it's not my religion that is

important, but my value as a person which is significant.

It's important that we all have a unique identity, a choice in life to

choose who and what we want to be. We are growing up in a world where

we are taught to be tolerant, to live peacefully we must put this

into practice. We must accept our differences if we are to move

forward. I think that my age group should be the focus. We are the ones

who must build new relationships with people from different

communities, barriers need to be broken down.

If we are to take away prejudice from young people's mind, we can

create a society that can get on together. A peaceful society.

Northern Ireland is my home. The reality is, it has a past. Often in

Northern Ireland, we hear about our past. People have many genuine

stories and they are definitely what make our history so important.

But truthfully, we should not let the past pull us apart and stop us

from moving forward. Somehow, we need to make a brighter

future, a future that builds bridges and brings people together. We need

to work together, not apart. We need to listen to each other and

we need to compromise. Most importantly, we need to clearly

value each other. Peace is not easy and it takes a lot of work to make

it happen. I think that it's easy for some to

sit back and hold on to the past. For peace to an actual reality,

however, we all need to take responsibility from the present.

Our past, our future. It is all about time. It is in the present

time that we really need to be responsible, accountable people and

live to make a better future for ourselves. There is no time like the

present. Now is the time to start making permanent peace happen in

Northern Ireland because we, the young people in this room, want and

deserve to live in peace. Northern Ireland is my home. But the reality

is, it has a future. Now, please join me in welcoming the First Lady

of the United States, Michelle Obama.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Good morning. Oh, what an honour. Good morning, everyone.

First of all, let me thank Hannah for that very bold and wonderful

introduction. And, of course, I want to thank all

of you for being here today. It is such a pleasure to be here in

Belfast and, as you might imagine, whenever we travel to places like

this or anywhere else in the world, we've got a pretty packed schedule.

We are meeting with Presidents and Prime Ministers and First Ladies, we

are visiting historical sites and attending state dinners and my

husband has been spending hours trying to make progress on global

issues from trade to international security. But whenever we go, no

matter what's on hour plate, we always do our best to meet with

young people just like all of you. In fact, you all might just very

well be some of the most important people that we talk to during our

visits. Because in just a couple of decades, you will be the ones in

charge. Yes indeed you will be in charge of shaping our future with

your passion, energy and ideas. So, when I look around this room, I

don't just see a bunch of teenagers, I see the people who 'll be moving

our world forward in the years ahead. And that's why we wanted to

be here today. Let me tell you, when I was your age, I never dreamed that

I would be standing here as First Lady of the United States. I know

that my husband never thought he'd be President either.

Neither of us grew up with much money, neither of my parents went to

university, Barack's father left his family when he was just two years

old, he was raised by a single mom, and all along the way, there were

plenty of people who doubted that kids like us had what it took to

succeed. People who told us not to hope for

too much or set our sights too high. But Barack and I refused to let

other people define us. Instead, we held tight to those values we were

raised with. Things like honesty, hard work, a commitment to our

education. We did our best to be open to others, to give everyone we

met a Fair Shake, no matter who they were or where they came from.

And we soon realised that the more we lived by those values, the more

we'd see them from other people in return.

We saw that when we reached out and listened to somebody else's

perspective. That person was more likely to listen to us.

If we treated a class mate with respect, they treat us well in

return. That's sort of how we became who we

are today. That's how we learned what

leadership really means. It's about stepping outside of your

comfort zone to explore new ideas. It's about rising above old

divisions. It's about treating people the way you want to be

treated in return. And, as young people, you all are in

a very powerful position to make some of those same choices

yourselves. You have the freedom of an open

mind. You have a fresh perspective that

can help you find solutions to age old problems and with today's

technology, you can connect with other young people from all over

Northern Ireland and all around the world. So right now, you've got a

choice to make. You've got to decide how you are going to use those

advantages and opportunities to build the lives you dream of.

Because that decision will determine, not only the kinds of

people you'll become, but also the kinds of communities you live in,

the kind of world we'll all share together. And standing here with all

of you today, I have never felt more optimistic. Let me tell you. Because

time and again, I have seen young people like all of you choosing to

work together, choosing to lift each other up, choosing to leave behind

the conflicts and prejudices of the past and create a bright future for

because we want you to believe that, each and every one of you. We

believe that you all have the ability to make a mark on this

world, that will last for generations to come. So, we are so

proud of you. We expect great things. So, with that, I think it

would be a good opportunity for me to introduce someone who accompanied

me here today... I let him travel with me every now and then. But he

is someone who is just as excited and delighted to deliver a message

and an carriage went to all of you. My husband, the President of the

much, thank you. These be seated. Hello, Belfast! Hello, Northern

Ireland. You now know why it is so difficult to speak after Michelle.

She is better than me. But on behalf of both of us, thank you so much for

this extraordinarily warm welcome. I want to thank Hannah for introducing

my wife. We had a chance to speak with Hannah backstage, and she is an

extraordinary young woman. Who knows, she will be doing greater

things in years to come. I want to thank two men who I have hosted at

the White House on many a St Patrick's Day for their warm

welcome, First Minister Peter Robinson and... And Deputy First

Minister Martin McGuinness. I spend the whole year trying to unite

Washington around things, and they come to visit on St Patrick's Day

and they do it in a single afternoon. I want to thank the state

tax on Northern Ireland, Therese of Ilias. To all of the ministers in

Northern Ireland, to the Lord Mayor of Belfast. And I want to thank all

of the citizens in Belfast and Northern Ireland for your

hospitality. As our daughters pointed out as we were driving in, I

cause a big fuss wherever I go. Traffic and barricades and police

officers, it is all a big production. A lot of people are

involved, and I am very grateful for accommodating us. The first time

Michelle and I visited this island was about three years ago. We were

honoured to join tens of thousands on College Green in Dublin. We

travelled to a little village where, as it turned out, my great, great,

great grandfather was born. Actually, I identified this

individual and this place only a few years ago. When I was first running

for office in Chicago, I did not know this, but I wish I had. When I

was in Chicago, as I was campaigning, they looked at my last

name, and they would say, oh, there is an clicks from the homeland

running on the southside, so he must be Irish. But I have never heard the

gay lick name Barack. But it pays to be Irish in Chicago. So, while we

were in monocle, I had the chance to meet my eighth who are, Henry, aka

Henry VIII. We knew he was Mike cousin because his ears flat out,

just like mine. I lived through the parish logs, where the names of my

ancestors are recorded, I even watched Michelle how to pull a

proper pint of black. Who is cheering for that? So, it was a

magical visit. The only problem was, it was far too short. A volcano in

Iceland forced us to leave before we could even spend a night. So we have

been eager for a chance to return to the Emerald Isle ever since. This

time, we brought our daughters fuzzy in particular, we wanted to come

here, to Northern Ireland, a place of remarkable beauty and

extraordinary history, part of an island with which tens of millions

of Americans share an eternal relationship. America's story began

right outside the doors of this gleaming hall. 325 years ago, a ship

set sail from the River Lagan, filled with men and women, who

dreams of building a new life. They, followed by hundreds of thousands of

more, helped America to write those early chapters. They helped us win

our independence, they helped us draft our Constitution, and soon

after, America returned to Belfast, opening one of our very first

consulates here. In 1796, when George Washington was still

President. So, today, names familiar to many of you are etched on schools

and courthouses across the United States. Names like Wilson, Kelly and

O'Neill. So many of the qualities that we Americans hold dear, we

imported from this land. Perseverance, faith, and unbending

belief that we make our own destiny, and our unshakeable dream

that if we work hard and live responsibility, something better

lives just around the corner. So, our histories are bound by blood and

belief, by culture and by commerce. And our futures are equally

inextricably linked. That is why I have come to Belfast today, to talk

about the future we can build together. Your generation, the young

generation, has come of age in a world with fewer walls. You have

been educated in an era of instant information. You have been tempered

by some very difficult times around the globe. And as I travel, what I

have seen of young people like you around the world has shown me that

these currents have conspired to make you a generation possessed by

both a clear eyed realism, but also an optimistic idealism. A generation

keenly aware of the world as it is, but eager to forge the world as it

should be. And when it comes to the future we share, that fills me with

hope, young people filming with hope. Here in Northern Ireland, this

generation has known even more rapid change and many young people have

seen around the world. While you have unique challenges of your own,

you also have reasons to be helpful, for you are the first generation in

this land to inherit more than just the hardened attitude and the bitter

prejudices of the past. You are the inheritors of a just and hard earned

peace. You now live in a thoroughly modern Northern Ireland. Of course,

the recession is that spread through nearly every country in recent years

inflicted hardship here as well, and there are communities which are

still feeling real pain. But day-to-day, life is changing

throughout the North. There was a time people could not have imagined

Northern Ireland hosting a gathering of world leaders, as you are today.

I want to thank the chief constable for working to keep everyone safe

this week. Northern Ireland is hosting the World Police And Fire

Games later this year. Mary Peters is helping to organise that. Golf

fans like me had to wait a long six decades for the Irish open to return

to the North last year. I am unhappy that I will not get a few rounds in

while I am here. I did meet Rory McIlory last year, and... He offered

to get my swing is sorted, which was a polite way of saying, as the

President, you need help. -- Mr President. None of that would have

been imaginable a generation ago. And Belfast is a different city.

Once abandoned factories are rebuilt, former industrial sites are

we born, businesses come from all over to exhibit, plays and

concerts, families crowd into pubs in the Cathedral Quarter. Students

lounge at cafes, asking each other, what the craic? So, it is the

manifestation of sheer bloody genius - this island chic is now, and these

daily moments of life in a bustling city, it may seem ordinary to many

of you, which is what makes it so extraordinary. But that is what your

parents and grandparents dreamt of, to travel without roadblocks or

seeing soldiers on patrol, to enjoy a sunny day free from the ever

present awareness that violence could work on it at any moment. To

befriend or fall in love with whomever you want. They hoped for a

day when the world would think something different when they heard

the word Belfast. And because of their efforts, because of their

courage, that day has come. Because of their work, those dreams they had

for you became the most incredible thing of all, it became a reality.

It has been 15 years now since the Good Friday agreement, since

clenched fists gave way to outstretched hands. The people of

this island voted in overwhelming numbers to see beyond the scars of

violence and mistrust, and to choose to wage peace. Over the years, other

breakthroughs and agreements have followed. It is extraordinary,

because for years, few conflicts in the world seem more intractable than

the one here in Northern Ireland. So that when peace was achieved here,

it gave the entire world hope, the world rejoiced in your achievement,

especially in America. Pubs from Chicago to Boston were scenes of

revelry. Folks celebrating the hard work of those who helped bring

peace. In America, you helped to transcend our differences. If there

is one thing on which Republicans in America wholeheartedly agree, it is

that we strongly support a peaceful and prosperous Northern Ireland.

But, as all of you know, all too well, for all the strides that you

have made, there's still much work to do. There are people who haven't

reaped the rewards of peace. There are those that aren't convinced the

effort is worth it. There are still wounds that haven't heal and

communities where tensions and mistrust hangs in the air.

There are walls that still stand. There are still many miles to go.

From the start, no-one was naive enough to believe that peace would

be anything but a long journey. Pf Yates once wrote "peace comes

dropping slowly". But that doesn't mean our efforts to forge a real and

lasting peace should come dropping slow.

This work is as urgent now as it's ever been because there is more to

lose now than there's ever been. In today's hyper-connected world,

what happens here as an impact on lives far from these shores. If you

continue your courageous path toward a permanent peace and all the social

and economic benefits that come with it, that won't be just good for you,

it will be Gooled for the entire Ireland, the United Kingdom, Europe

and it would be good for the world. We need you to get this right.

What's more, if you set an example of those who seek a peace of their

own, beyond these shores right now in scattered corners of the world,

there are people living in the grips of conflict. Ethnic conflict,

religious conflict, tribal conflicts. And they know something

better's out there. And they are hoping to find a way to

discover how to move beyond the heavy hand of history.

To put aside the violence. They are studying what you are doing. And

they are wondering perhaps if Northern Ireland can achieve peace

we can too. So you are their blueprint to follow, you are their

proof of what is possible. Because hope is contagious.

They are watching to see what you do next.

Now, some of that is up to your leaders.

As someone who knows first hand how politics can encourage division and

discourage cooperation, I admire the Northern Ireland Executive and the

Northern Ireland Assembly all the more for making power sharing work.

That's not easy to do. It requires compromise. It requires absorbing

some pain from your own side. So I applaud that for taking

responsibility for law enforcement and for justice and I commend their

effort to building a you nighted community. Important next steps

along your transformational journey. Issues like segregated schools and

housing, lack of jobs and opportunity, symbols of history that

are a source of pride for some and pain for others, these are not -

these are essential to peace. If towns remain divided, if Catholics

have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs, if we can't

see ourselves in one another, if fear or resentment are allowed to

harden, that encourages division, discourages cooperation.

Ultimately, peace is not just about politics. It's about attitudes. It's

about a accepts of empathy. It's about breaking down the

divisions that we create for ourselves in our own minds.

And our own hearts. That don't exist in any objective

reality but that we carry with us generation after generation.

I know because America, we too, have had to work hard over the decades,

slowly gradually, sometimes painfully in fits and starts to keep

perfecting our union. 150 years ago, we were torn open by a terrible

conflict. Our Civil War was far shorter than the troubles, but it

killed hundreds of thousands of our people.

Of course, the legacy of slavery endured for generations.

Even a century after we achieved our own peace, we were not fully united.

When I was a boy, many cities still had separate drink drinking found

and wash rooms for blacks and whites and counters. My own parents'

marriage would have been illegal in certain states.

Someone who looked like me often had a hard time casting a ballot much

less being on about it. But over time, laws changed. Hearts

and minds changed. Sometimes driven by courageous law-makers, but more

often, driven by committed citizens. The politicians often times follow

rather than lead. And so, especially young people, have to push and prod

and protest. And to make common cause with those

who did not look like them. And that transformed America so that

Malia and Sasha's generation, they have different attitudes about

differences and race than mine and certainly different from the

generation before that. Each successive generation creates a

new space for peace and tolerance and justice and fairness.

Now, while we have work to do, in many ways, we have surely become

more tolerant and more just and more accepting. More willing to see our

diversity in America, not as something to fear, but as something

to welcome because it's a source of our national strength. So, as your

leaders step forward to address your challenges, through talks by all

parties, they'll need you young people to keep pushing them, to

create a space for them, to change attitudes. Ultimately, whether your

communities deal with the past and face the future you nighted,

together, isn't something you have to wait for somebody else to do.

That's a choice you have to make right now.

-- united together. It's within your power to bring about change.

Whether you are a good neighbour to someone from the other side of past

battles, that's up to you, but whether you treat them with the

dignity and respect they deserve, that's up to you.

Whether you let your kids play with kids who attend a different church,

that's your decision. Whether you take a stand and tell extremists on

both sides whether they attack the peace, whether they succeed is in

your hands. Whether you reach your own outstretched hand across

dividing lines, across peace walls to build trust in a spirit of

respect, that's up to you. The terms of peace may be negotiated by

political leaders, but the fate of This peace in Northern Ireland has