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His Excellency Mr David Daly 
Head of Delegation
Delegation of the European Union to Australia and New Zealand
Speech at the opening of the Windows on Europe Film Festival
Dendy Cinemas, Sydney
13 February 2009
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
First of all I would like to express my condolences to all who have suffered in the tragic bushfires and floods. All friends of Australia share in her sorrow in this, the saddest of weeks.
Secondly, I would like to pass on the sincere regrets of European Commission President Barroso in not being able to be here tonight because of pressing commitments back in Europe.
In a telephone call to Prime Minister Rudd, he also conveyed his dismay and shock by the loss of life and terrible devastation to property and livestock in Victoria caused by the bushfires, as well as with the floods in Queensland. He expressed his condolences to the Prime Minister and to the people of Australia and extended his sympathy to the families of the victims.
President Barroso also offered the Prime Minister any assistance that the Commission might be able to render.
May I add my own condolences to the families and friends affected by the tragic events of these past days. I know that the European Commission and EU Member States stand ready to help in any way they can at this time of great need.
This is not how I had envisaged to open the Windows on Europe film festival. It is difficult for me to marry the tragic events of these past days with tonight's more festive occasion.
But as some of the messages depicted in this film festival, life is often about tragic events and challenges that beset us, and human kind's resilience to overcome them and to emerge better and stronger as a consequence. We all have our own favourite film which portrays man dealing with life and tragedy - but for all survivors, life must go on.
An important part of life is Art; the creative urge is part of the human condition.
With this in mind, I am pleased that my first official duty as Head of Delegation of the European Union to Australia - I presented my credentials to the Governor-General only this week - is to welcome you to this Windows on Europe film festival. This is the fourth year of the festival, but this is the first time it has come to Sydney.
Its success in previous years in Canberra has encouraged Dendy Cinemas this year to promote the Windows on Europe film festival in Sydney and in Brisbane . In the future, we might see the festival feature in other Australian cities as well.
This festival could only happen with the help of Dendy Cinemas and I should like to extend a huge vote of thanks to Dendy, and in particular to Nick Hayes, their National Operations Manager. Dendy's generous support has allowed us to present this unique festival in state-of-the-art venues.
I would also like to thank my colleagues from the Member States many of whom are here tonight. Without their help and cooperation, this event would not be possible either.
In the European Union, we are celebrating 2009 as the year of Creativity and Innovation. Part of the program for the year is to foster artistic and other forms of creativity and to take advantage of our cultural diversity.
With nearly 500 million citizens in 27 Member States from the Atlantic to the Black Sea and from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, we are home to a real diversity of culture, with our languages, religions and ethnic backgrounds.
I see this rich European heritage and diversity here in Australia too. As my 10-year old Australian cousin once said to his mother when visiting us in Ireland , "Mum, how come there are so many people here with Aussie names?" The same could be said had my cousin been visiting Italy, France, Malta, Poland or naturally Great Britain or other EU member states.
The thirteen award winning films in this year's festival are a celebration of that diversity, showing the richness of European cinema. What better art form than the cinema to convey that message of the year of Creativity and Innovation.
The films on show over the coming week have won awards at various film festivals across Europe. They include dramas, comedies, action, romance, and, films for all age ranges. I would highly recommend that you catch some of the movies being shown over the coming week.
The Czech Republic took over the presidency of the European Union on 1 January 2009. In their honour, we have chosen to preview a Czech film Tajnosti or Little Girl Blue.
To tell you more about tonight's film, I have great pleasure to introduce my colleague and friend, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, H.E Juraj Chmiel.
This page updated
December 22, 2009
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