Tipperary International Peace Award nominees include two major US political figures

The 2024 Tipperary International Peace Award nominees, which were announced on Monday, January 6, include US Senator Bernie Sanders and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Tipperary International Peace Award, presented by the Tipperary Peace Convention, is Ireland’s award for humanitarian work.

The Convention was founded in 1983 by Tim Ryan, Joe Quinn, Maureen Walsh, and Noel McInerney who felt that Tipperary - often associated with war internationally thanks to the song "It's A Long Way to Tipperary" - should be known for peace.

The original aims of the Convention were to promote the concept of peace through music and discussion, to provide an open forum for the discussion of current peace-related issues, and to reward a person who has made a particularly noteworthy contribution to the peace-making process.

In 1984, the inaugural Tipperary International Peace Award was bestowed upon the late Seán MacBride.

Other winners of the award include Bob Geldof (1985), Mikhail Gorbachev (1988), Nelson Mandela (1989), Bill Clinton (2000), Rudy Giuliani (2001), Edward 'Ted' Kennedy (2009), and Mary McAleese and Martin McAleese (2011).

Organizers said on Monday that the Award Committee will now review all of the 2024 nominations and will decide on the recipient in due course.

Martin Quinn, the Hon. Secretary of the Tipperary Peace Convention, says that recognizing the nominees for this award is not only a celebration of their contributions but also a reminder of the enduring importance of peacebuilding in all its forms.

"The nominees for the 2024 Tipperary International Peace Award represent diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and geographies, yet they share a common thread - the courage to confront violence, inequality, and injustice with compassion and determination," Quinn said on Monday.

"These individuals and the organisations that they represent, often operate in the shadows of global crises, where their efforts may go unnoticed by the wider world.

"By acknowledging their work, the award brings their stories to the forefront, inspiring others to join the cause of peace."

Quinn added: "The stories of the nominees serve as powerful reminders that individuals have the capacity to effect meaningful change. By celebrating their perseverance and impact, the Tipperary International Peace Award inspires future generations to embrace the values of empathy, dialogue, and action.

"I would encourage young people in particular, to see that peacebuilding is not reserved for the extraordinary few but is a calling that anyone can answer."

2024 Tipperary International Peace Award nominees

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is a Palestinian doctor and human rights defender who lives in northern Gaza, Palestine. He was arrested and taken to an Israeli prison and his hospital shut down. Nominated for the immense efforts that he has made since the beginning of the war to support the only healthcare system for the residents of North Gaza, all for the sake of the patients.

Bertie Ahern

Bertie Ahern is a former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, and as Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008. Nominated for his part in the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement, in which the British and Irish Governments and most Northern Irish political parties established an "exclusively peaceful and democratic" framework for power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

Francesca P. Albanese

Francesca P. Albanese is an Italian international lawyer and academic, who was appointed United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories. Nominated for her strong leadership in 2024 to uphold the UN Charter and for advocating for universal human rights.

Ifrah Ahmed

Ifrah Ahmed is an Irish/Somali activist, campaigner and CSO director working in the field of FGM/C abandonment. Nominated for her work and relentless campaigns to end FGM/C around the world.

Bernard Sanders

Bernard 'Bernie' Sanders is an American politician and activist who is the senior United States senator from Vermont. Sanders is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history. Nominated for addressing issues regarding US responsibility on the war in Gaza.

Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed

Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed also know as Farmaajo, is a distinguished Somali politician who served as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2011 and later as President from 2017 to 2022. Nominated for his exceptional leadership and tireless efforts to promote peace, stability, and unity in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

Sisters2Sisters

Sisters2Sisters is a primarily woman-led campaign group that raises awareness of the situation of women and LGBTIQA+ persons in and from Myanmar (Burma), during the ongoing, illegitimate coup attempt by the Myanmar military. Nominated for the important role that they play in highlighting both how the ongoing coup attempt is specifically affecting women and LBTIQA+ persons in and from Myanmar, as well as in centering their creative forms of resistance against military oppression.

Hanna Jallouf OFM

Hanna Jallouf OFM is a Syrian Catholic titular bishop. He has been the Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo since 2023. He was kidnapped with around 20 of his parishioners while in Knayeh by members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. He was held captive for five days. Nominated for his dealings with ISIS and for saving the lives of those that were kidnapped. 

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani is a Qatari diplomat, economist, and politician who has been serving as the Prime Minister of Qatar since 7 March 2023 and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2016. Nominated for being instrumental in leading the negotiations, between Hamas and Israel, which have led to a temporary ceasefire and the successful release of more than 100 hostages.

Father Elias Zahlawi

Father Elias Zahlawi is a Catholic priest of the Church of Our Lady of Damascus. He officiates at the Notre-Dame de Damas church in the Koussour district, a few dozen meters from the front line with the fundamentalist groups, that regularly bomb the district. He regularly speaks about the initiation of Zionism in the region and its plans to ruin the east as per his many published books; namely 'War and Peace in Syria' which he published in 2020. Nominated for his writings and talks on the connection between Christianity and Islam.

Antony John Blinken

Antony John Blinken is an American lawyer and diplomat currently serving as the 71st United States Secretary of State. He previously served as deputy national security advisor from 2013 to 2015 and deputy secretary of state from 2015 to 2017 under President Barack Obama. Nominated for his approach in seeking to reconcile decades-long conflicts in the Middle East. He has actively worked to strengthen the Abraham Accords, supporting normalisation between Israel and Arab nations, while remaining committed to the pursuit of a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. 

Yuly Velásquez

Yuly Velásquez is a Human rights defender and environmentalist. She is president of the Federation of Artisanal, Environmental and Tourist Fisherfolk of the Department of Santander (FEDEPESAN). She fights for the protection of clean water to ensure a future for the animals, the plants, and her community, in Colombia, that also means fighting for her own life. Nominated for her selfless commitment to defending human rights in Colombia, despite the dangers that she faces.

Alastair Logan OBE, Gareth Peirce, Michael Mansfield KC, and the late Sr. Sarah Clarke

This group is nominated in relation to their work on cases to support the Guilford Four and the Birmingham Six. Nominated for their untiring work in the fight for justice for these innocent people, in a legal capacity as well as in a non-legal capacity.