Irish Ambassador pays courtesy call on Ateneo de Manila University President

On 11 September 2025, Her Excellency Emma Hickey, Ambassador of Ireland to the Philippines, visited Ateneo de Manila University and met University President Fr Roberto C Yap SJ.

Her Excellency Ambassador Hickey is the second resident Ambassador of Ireland to the Philippines, having been appointed in 2024 to the role. Before this posting, Her Excellency served as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland in Cairo and oversaw relations with Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria. She has also held senior roles in the Humanitarian and Human Rights Units, the European External Action Service, and the European Union Mission in Palestine.

Accompanying Her Excellency were Ms Naomi McElroy, Consul at the Embassy of Ireland in Manila; and Ms Kimberly Yu, Public Diplomacy Officer at the Embassy of Ireland in Manila.

Joining Fr Yap as Ateneo’s representatives were Dr Patricia Lambino, Dean of the School of Humanities and Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Vice President for Higher Education (in lieu of Dr Marlu Vilchez, Vice President for Higher Education, who was on leave); Dr Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu, Dean of the Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences; Dr Jennifer S Oreta, Dean of the School of Government; Ms Cristina M Alikpala, Assistant Vice President for University Partnerships and Internationalization; and Dr Manuel R Enverga III, Director of the European Studies Program.

During the courtesy call, both parties discussed potential areas for collaboration, including shared interests in mental health, sustainability, and bridging cultural divides through literature. They also explored the possibility of expanding Ateneo’s partnerships with Irish higher education institutions, building on existing collaborations with the National College of Ireland and the Loyola Institute for Catholic Theology at Trinity College Dublin under the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU).

In addition to discussing possible areas of collaboration, the discussion also highlighted some similarities between Ireland and the Philippines such as religion, colonization, and fighting against colonial powers for freedom with both countries having formally gained sovereignty in the 20th century.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of tokens and a group photo, symbolizing the spirit of friendship and future cooperation between Ateneo and the Embassy of Ireland.