President Micheal D Higgins has been presented with a prestigious UN medal in recognition of his work advancing global food security and poverty alleviation.
The President is the first Irish recipient of the Agricola medal from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Agricola is the Latin for farmer, and the medal was presented by FAO Director-General Dr Qu Dongyu at an event in Áras an Uachtaráin.
Past recipients of the medal include presidents, popes and prime ministers.
Dr Dongyu said President Higgins was receiving the medal because he was a flaming torch on the world stage who leadership has gone beyond Ireland, raising the importance of food security on the world stage and linking it to global farming, migration and the climate crisis.
