Answer the President’s Call: President Higgins Encourages the Public to Take Part in Gaisce’s 40th Anniversary ‘Be The Arrow’ Challenge.
Gaisce – The President’s Award is celebrating 40 years of empowering young people across Ireland with the launch of the Be The Arrow – Gaisce 40th Anniversary Challenge, inviting people of all ages to take on a personal challenge during May 2025.
Inspired by President Michael D. Higgins’ inaugural speech in 2011, where he urged young people to “be the arrow, not the target”, Gaisce is calling on individuals, schools, workplaces, and communities to set a challenge, push themselves, and make a difference—just as thousands of young people have done through the Gaisce Award over the past four decades.
A Challenge for Everyone – And a Special Reward
Perhaps you missed out on doing Gaisce in school. Maybe the Award didn’t exist when you were younger? Or maybe you simply want to challenge yourself with purpose? Maybe you’re a youth leader and would like the chance to be able to do a challenge. Maybe your son or daughter is doing Gaisce, and you want to join them? Whatever your reason, the Be The Arrow challenge is the perfect fit.
Participants can choose from:
- A Volunteering Challenge – Give back to a cause, support your community through a clean-up, or offer your time or expertise to a local charity.
- A Physical Challenge – Walk, cycle, hike, swim, or take on a fitness goal.
- A Skills Challenge – Learn something new, from painting to public speaking, sign language or a foreign language.
No matter the challenge, everyone who participates and completes it will receive a commemorative Gaisce Challenge Certificate signed by President Michael D. Higgins, celebrating their achievement as part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations.
Sign-up for free!
Everyone can sign up for free at www.bethearrow.ie. Those who raise €100 or more for the Gaisce SUAS Bursary Fund will also receive a commemorative 40th Anniversary Gaisce T-shirt. The fund helps young people from marginalised backgrounds access the Gaisce Award programme, ensuring that opportunity is open to all.
