The founder of the international Focolare movement Ms Chiara Lubich (84), will meet the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, today on her first visit to Ireland.
A recipient of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize and Council of Europe Human Rights Prize she meets members of the standing committee of the Irish Bishops' Conference in Maynooth later today.
Tomorrow Ms Lubich meets the President Mrs McAleese, and members of Seanad Éireann. She will address an international conference on "Humanising the Global Economy" at the Smurfit Graduate School of Business, UCD with Mr Laurence Crowley, Governor, Bank of Ireland and Trócaire's Dr Lorna Gold. She will officially inaugurate the Focolare's meeting centre at Prosperous, Co Kildare, on Thursday.
Born in Italy, Ms Lubich is president of the Focolare Movement which she founded with friends during the second World War. She dedicated her life to building universal fraternity between people of all religions, races, ages and colours.