Cork's hosting of the European Capital of Culture will be a bridge from the world of arts to the wider community, and from Cork to the rest of Ireland and the rest of Europe, the President said as she opened Cork 2005 at the weekend.
Mrs McAleese added that Cork's tenure as European Capital of Culture will be "a very timely follow-on from Ireland's hugely successful presidency of the EU", and she praised the organisers for including cultural events from new member- states.
"Cork has been entrusted with the responsibility for showcasing and developing not just the culture of Cork or of Ireland, but of the family of 25 nations which is the European Union," she said.
"Cork 2005 is planning to dedicate a month to each new member-state to allow it to present its culture in its own way," Mrs McAleese told some 800 guests at the official opening in the City Hall on Saturday.
"Here in Cork, strangers will become friends, cultural curiosity will be the bridge to shared citizenship of the European Union and the building blocks of healthy, open respectful relationships will be your gift to a new generation."
The President said the Cork-born writer, Frank O'Connor, had shown extraordinary prescience when he wrote over 40 years ago that the future of European culture lay with smaller cities.
"Today our great continent turns its gaze to our small island and to its far south as we gather in Cork - so long jokingly referred to as 'the real capital' - but today acknowledged as European Capital of Culture for 2005.
"While this is of course a day of particular pride for those most humble of all Irish men and women, the citizens of the republic of Cork, you can be sure all of Ireland is thrilled that it was our beloved city by the Lee which was chosen for such a great honour."
It was "payback time for all those years of hard slog in hosting international arts festivals in jazz, in film and in choral works".
The President said: "It is a vindication of Cork's cultural mix with voices as diverse as Frank O'Connor, Christy Ring, Seán Ó Sé, Fiona Shaw, Rory Gallagher and the Bells of Shandon - it is a personal vindication of every Corkonian who ever made the arts their passion."
Earlier, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said Cork 2005 was to be congratulated for developing an entire programme for the year in a very short time and providing a sense of ownership to the broader Cork community.
"Cork cultural heritage is Shandon for sure, it's Pana and the Mardyke and the Opera House and it's the Crawford Gallery. and its haunting songs like The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee, it's The Bould Thady Quill and The Boys of Fairhill as well.
"But, over and above all that, are the people of Cork, distinctive and unique in their accent and their way of life; they have, over several generations, made a contribution to Ireland's cultural heritage which cannot be gainsaid."
Mr O'Donoghue recounted Cork's cultural heritage and some of those who gave it expression in different fields - from patriots such as Terence MacSwiney and Tomás MacCurtain, to writers like O'Connor, Seán O'Faoláin and Daniel Corkery, and hurlers of the calibre of Christy Ring and Jimmy Barry Murphy.
"And so it is in that context that I am particularly proud to be here this afternoon - it is wonderful to witness Cork take its place in the European sun," said Mr O'Donoghue as he departed from his prepared script for the event.
"And I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that it will do Ireland proud, because Cork has always done Ireland proud and when Cork has done Ireland proud, Ireland has always taken a proud place in the world," Mr O'Donoghue said.
"You won't hear a Kerryman say it too often again but for now, can I leave you with this - 'Up Cork' and 'Here's up them all, say the Boys of Fairhill'," Mr O'Donoghue concluded to tumultuous applause.
Earlier, the Lord Mayor, Cllr Seán Martin, reiterated his belief that Cork 2005 will be the most significant event for Cork since the city hosted historic exhibitions in 1902 and 1903 and he was confident that it would lead to further renewal and renaissance.
He said Cork was already a city of deep-rooted artistic, theatrical and musical culture, but he expressed confidence that the feast of creative endeavour over the next 12 months will bring a new level of intensity to the cultural heritage of the city.
