[ad_1]
President Michael D Higgins paid tribute to HIV / AIDS educator and activist Father Michael Kelly, who died in Zambia on Friday.
The death of the Tullamore-born priest at the age of 91 was announced by the Jesuit order, of which he was a member, on Friday.
Father Kelly rose to fame for his experience with the AIDS pandemic in Africa and the need for education, which he called the “social vaccine,” to stop its spread.
“It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of Fr. Michael Kelly in his foster home in Zambia,” President Higgins said in a statement.
As an academic, writer, and educator, Fr. Michael made an immense contribution to improving the health outcomes of many people in sub-Saharan Africa. Through his work with Irish Aid and various multilateral organizations, he was an inspiring figure for healthcare workers, humanitarian workers, humanitarian workers and diplomats in Ireland, Zambia and beyond.
Father Michael Kelly (right) with former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda and Dr Charlotte Scott, who served as Zambia’s first lady, at an Irish embassy event in Lusaka in 2013.
The president paid tribute to Fr Kelly’s intellect, as well as his “extraordinary positivity and compassion.
“He personified the great work of Irish missionaries in the fields of education and health in so many parts of the world. His humanity shone in his work and in his encounters with all those who were lucky enough to have met him ”.
Father Kelly moved to Zambia in the 1970s. He lived and worked in Africa for more than 50 years, where he held a variety of educational roles, including as Principal of Canislius College and as Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia.
He earned a reputation for being an informed and outspoken speaker on HIV and AIDS. Graduated in Mathematics and Sciences from UCD, he became known for his scientific examinations of the virus and its associated social problems.
“Being a mathematician, I have a kind of analytical mind and I can analyze how it was going,” he once said.
Unusually for the clergy, he supported the use of condoms to stop the spread of the disease.
Father Kelly was also an active human rights activist, researcher, and author. He wrote 15 books and worked as a consultant for organizations such as the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF and Irish Aid.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said he was very sorry to hear the death of Father Kelly, whose work, he said, was “inspiring.”
“He leaves behind a legacy of achievement, driving policy changes not only in Zambia but on the international stage,” said the minister.
“Among those inspired by Father Michael were those generations of Irish officials who have served the Irish Embassy in Zambia since it opened in 1980, and who today also feel its loss.”
In 2012, Father Kelly received the President’s Award for Irish Abroad and last year An Post issued a stamp in his honor as part of its Irish Abroad series.
The Department of Foreign Affairs organizes an annual conference of Fr. Michael Kelly to commemorate World AIDS Day.
“This event will serve as a reminder of the outstanding work and rich legacy of Fr. Michael Kelly. I offer my condolences to his family and many friends. Ireland and Zambia mourn the loss of a true hero, ”said President Higgins.
[ad_2]