President Mary McAleese is beginning a five-day visit to Belgium and Italy today ahead of a meeting with Pope Benedict on Friday.
Mrs McAleese's visit will include a courtesy call on the King of Belgium, His Majesty Albert II, and an address at the Louvain Institute, which is marking its 400th anniversary.
Mrs McAleese will also visit the new Tourism Ireland offices in Brussels and attend a business breakfast event hosted by Enterprise Ireland.
Travelling on to Italy tomorrow, she will visit an Italian-Irish business dinner in Milan and visit Bobbio Abbey, founded by St Columbanus in the seventh century.
In Rome on Wednesday, Mrs McAleese is due to meet Italian president Giorgio Napoletano. The visit will culminate with a call on Pope Benedict XVI on Friday. A meeting with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State is also scheduled.
A visit to the Pontifical Irish College and the Dominican Community in Rome is also included in the itinerary. Mrs McAleese, who will be accompanied by her husband Dr Martin McAleese, will return to Dublin on Friday evening.
