BRAVE OMAGH IN AWARDS TRIBUTE
Brave Omagh in awards tribute
By Liz Tralnor
The people of Omagh have been honoured for their courage at an awards ceremony in Belfast.
The awards, organised by the Baha'i community of Northern Ireland, paid tribute to all the unsung heroes of the peace process who have struggled against the odds to overcome violence and injustice.
Over 1,000 people attended the awards at the Waterfront Hall on Thursday night as part of the Baha'i community's centenary celebrations.
The Baha'is are a Middle Eastern religious movement who work for unity, equality, the elimination of prejudice and world
peace.
Awards were presented in five categories for achievements in Fostering Peace, the Elimination of Prejudice, Equality, Human Rights and Courage.
The courage award was presented to the Omagh divisions of St John's Ambulance, the Order of Malta and Omagh Red Cross.
But it also paid tribute to the unique way in which the people of Omagh battled against the horrific events of last August when dissident republicans killed 29 people in a car bomb attack.
The equality award was presented to Belfast community worker Ken Mulligan for his involvement in social fields.
Newcastle councillor Anne Carr was given the peace award for her efforts as full-time coordinator of Women Together For Peace and representative of the Women's Coalition.
The elimination of prejudice award went to the parents and teachers of Shimna Integrated College in Newcastle. The human rights honour went to Irene Leacock, who has campaigned for human rights since the 1950s. Peter McLachlan was awarded the lifetime achievement award for his work with the Peace People and for pioneering schemes including Crossroads Care and Victim Support.
By Liz Tralnor
The people of Omagh have been honoured for their courage at an awards ceremony in Belfast.
The awards, organised by the Baha'i community of Northern Ireland, paid tribute to all the unsung heroes of the peace process who have struggled against the odds to overcome violence and injustice.
Over 1,000 people attended the awards at the Waterfront Hall on Thursday night as part of the Baha'i community's centenary celebrations.
The Baha'is are a Middle Eastern religious movement who work for unity, equality, the elimination of prejudice and world
peace.
Awards were presented in five categories for achievements in Fostering Peace, the Elimination of Prejudice, Equality, Human Rights and Courage.
The courage award was presented to the Omagh divisions of St John's Ambulance, the Order of Malta and Omagh Red Cross.
But it also paid tribute to the unique way in which the people of Omagh battled against the horrific events of last August when dissident republicans killed 29 people in a car bomb attack.
The equality award was presented to Belfast community worker Ken Mulligan for his involvement in social fields.
Newcastle councillor Anne Carr was given the peace award for her efforts as full-time coordinator of Women Together For Peace and representative of the Women's Coalition.
The elimination of prejudice award went to the parents and teachers of Shimna Integrated College in Newcastle. The human rights honour went to Irene Leacock, who has campaigned for human rights since the 1950s. Peter McLachlan was awarded the lifetime achievement award for his work with the Peace People and for pioneering schemes including Crossroads Care and Victim Support.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0334
Published Date: 20-Nov-99
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.