Islamabad, September 8,2026: Ambassador of Ireland to Pakistan Mary O’Neill visited Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, on the occasion of International Literacy Day and presented a collection of 34 Irish books to the university’s library.
QAU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, along with university deans and the Chief Librarian, received the Irish ambassador during her visit.
The donated collection features works by some of Ireland’s most renowned literary figures, including Nobel laureates James Joyce, W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney, as well as contemporary writers Sally Rooney and Claire Keegan.
During the visit, Ambassador O’Neill held discussions with the university leadership on the importance of literature and reading, as well as the enduring global influence of Irish writers.
The ambassador also visited the QAU Main Library, where the newly donated collection will be housed and made available to students, faculty members and researchers.
The initiative is expected to further strengthen cultural and academic ties between Ireland and Quaid-i-Azam University while enriching the university’s literary resources and promoting greater access to Irish literature.
The visit also highlighted the importance of international academic and cultural exchanges in promoting literacy, knowledge-sharing and mutual understanding.
