Official visit to Minas Gerais
In conjunction with Embassy Brasilia, Enterprise Ireland and Education Ireland, the Consulate undertook an official visit to the State of Minas Gerais, focused on opportunities in education, sport, education, agriculture and trade.
In the first official Irish mission to Minas Gerais, Consul General Sharon Lennon, accompanied by Ambassador Brian Glynn, visited the cities of Uberlandia, Belo Horizonte and Juiz da Fora.
In Uberlandia, the delegation visited the training facilities which will be utilised by the Irish Olympic and Paralympic athletes in their preparatory camp ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Uberlandia was chosen as the team training base due to its exemplary facilities at SESI and Praia Club. As part of the visit, the group travelled to the Municipal Stadium. The opening game of the stadium was played between Brazil and Ireland on 27th May 1982. Sadly, Ireland came out the wrong side of the 7-0 result. Ambassador Glynn and Consul General Lennon were hosted by the Mayor of Uberlandia at a conference celebrating the emerging relationship between Uberlandia and Ireland.
In Belo Horizonte, the Ambassador and Consul General were joined by Sarah O’Sullivan of Education in Ireland. In a visit focused on education and innovation, the delegation attended meetings with Government Secretaries of the State of Minas Gerais, the Development Bank of Minas Gerais, the Research Foundation of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and the Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais (FIEMG). The Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais hosted an educational roundtable with a number of regional Universities present, targeting areas of cooperation between Irish and Mineiro institutions. The Ambassador and Consul General also took the opportunity to meet with local members of the Irish community in Minas Gerais.
The Ambassador and Consul General visited Embrapa’s Dairy Cattle Research centre in the city of Juiz da Fora accompanied by Eoghan O’Briain of Enterprise Ireland. The delegation toured the facilities and received presentations on new areas of research and experience in the Brazilian dairy industry. The General Secretary of the facility hosted a meeting with Department Heads to discuss possible collaborations with Irish industry and Teagasc.