Mary Robinson to receive 2018 Tipperary International Peace Prize

Photo courtesy of Tipperary Peace Prize

Former President Mary Robinson is to receive the Tipperary International Peace Prize.

She will join an illustrious list of previous winners when she is presented with the award at a ceremony in Tipperary Town in November.

The Tipperary Peace Convention has today confirmed that Mary Robinson will be the 2018 recipient of their International Peace Award.

The Chair of The Elders, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is being recognised for her work in ensuring that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage.

Honorary Secretary of the Tipperary Peace Convention Martin Quinn described her as a tireless champion of women’s equality.

Reacting to the news Mary Robinson said she was very honoured to receive the Tipperary International Peace Award, which she described as a wonderful example of a local community organising a prize for peace which has achieved wide international standing and recognition.

The other nominees for the 2018 Award included African Union Youth Envoy Aya Chebbi, Humanitarian worker in South Sudan Sr. Orla Treacy, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Dr Abiy Ahmed and the President Afwerki of Eritrea, Swedish student and climate change activist Greta Thunberg and Nigerian humanitarian activist Zannah Bukar Mustapha.

Previous recipients of the Tipperary International Peace Award include former South African President the late Nelson Mandela, Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Pakistani schoolgirl and Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, former US Secretary of State John Kerry, the Syria Civil Defence White Helmets.

The award will be presented to Mary Robinson on November 7th in the Tipperary Excel Centre.