THE US Secretary of Education, Mr Richard W. Riley, and the Northern talks chairman, Senator George Mitchell, are among the speakers at a colloquium in Dublin today to celebrate the 221st anniversary of American Independence.
The Spirit of the Nation colloquium takes place in Trinity College and also includes contributions from the playwright Arthur Miller, the author and historian Dr Arthur Schlesinger Jnr, and the film director Alan J. Pakula.
Miller and Pakula - whose latest work, The Devil's Own, has caused controversy over its portrayal of an IRA killer - will be joined in an afternoon discussion on the US cultural legacy by the Pulitzer prize winning author, Frank McCourt.
This morning's session is a discussion of "The Democratic Legacy," which follows a welcome by the US ambassador, Ms Jean Kennedy Smith, and the Provost of TCD, Dr Thomas N. Mitchell. Dr Elaine Tyler May, Fulbright scholar at University College, Dublin, will join Mr Riley and Dr Schlesinger in the opening session.
The moderators are Mr Gerard Hogan and Prof Brendan Kennelly. Senator Mitchell will make the closing remarks this afternoon.