A reception takes place tonight to mark the 33-year partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Irish NGOs.
The event at Iveagh House will be attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and former Foreign Affairs Minister and Taoiseach, Dr Garret FitzGerald.
Dr FitzGerald was Foreign Affairs Minister in 1975 when Ireland’s overseas aid programme first began. The Government now aims to spend 0.7 per cent of the country’s GDP on overseas aid by 2012.
Concern chief executive Tom Arnold said: “The partnership between the department, Concern and other Irish NGOs is a key factor in building the support from the Irish public for the aid programme.”
Minister of State for Overseas Development Michael Kitt, UN officials and foreign diplomats are also due to attend tonight’s event.
Concern is marking its 40th anniversary this year and will be hosting an international hunger conference in Dublin later this year.