The Tipperary Peace Convention has announced that it is now accepting
nominations for the 2016 Tipperary International Peace Award.
Speaking this week, the secretary of the Convention, Martin Quinn,
said that “The nomination process is open to members of the public and
to representatives of organisations and associations. A shortlist of
nominees will be announced on January 1st, 2017 and the Award winner
will be announced soon afterwards. The Award will be presented in
Tipperary on a date to be confirmed in 2017.”
The Tipperary Peace Award was founded in 1984, with the first
recipient being the late Seán McBride, a former TD and one of the
founders of Amnesty International.
The decision to found a peace prize was sparked when a group of
locals realised that the World War I song, ‘It’s a Long Way to
Tipperary’, written by Jack Judge, had left Tipperary internationally
associated with conflict. For the past 32 years, the Tipperary Peace
Convention has worked to honour those who devote their lives to ending
conflict and promoting human rights.
Past recipients include former South African President, the late
Nelson Mandela; former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese and
her husband, Martin McAleese; the late Senator Edward Kennedy and former
US Ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith; and Pakistani school
girl, Malala Yousafzai.
The 2015 award recipient was US Secretary of State, John Kerry, who
received his award at a presentation ceremony in the Glen of Aherlow,
Tipperary, on 30 October last.
Mr Quinn said that the “Tipperary Peace Convention now welcomes
nominations for the 2016 Award. Nominations must be submitted in writing
and should include a brief resumé of the person/s work for peace and
why you consider that the person/s should receive the Tipperary
International Peace Award. Nominations should be sent to the Hon.
Secretary, Tipperary Peace Convention, 18 Father Matthew Street,
Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary and the closing date for receipt of
nominations is Wednesday December 28th 2016."
Nominations can be
submitted by E-Mail to: martinquinns@eircom.net