Wounded Pakistani school girl Malala Yousafzai, shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for trying to promote female education is just one of this year’s nominations for the Tipperary International Peace Award. Miss Yousafzai is presently recovering from her injuries in a hospital in England & recognised as a symbol of resilience, representing the progressive vision for Pakistan.
Other nominations include outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, expected to run as the 2016 Democratic nominee for US president, – Indian National Congress President Sonia Ghandi, widow of assassinated Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, – John Githongo, a former Kenyan journalist, who investigated bribery and fraud in his home country and later, under the presidency of Mwai Kibaki, took an official governmental position to fight corruption, & Pax Christi International, (Latin for Peace of Christ) an international Catholic organization founded in France in 1945 and which strives to play a pioneer role in research for solutions of armed conflicts.
Previous recipients of the Tipperary International Peace award have included Bob Geldof, Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, the late US Senator Edward Kennedy and his sister, the former Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy-Smith in 2010 and the worthy winner, Dr Sima Samar, in 2011. Last year’s joint winners were former President Mary McAleese and her husband Senator Martin McAleese.
The 2013 winner is expected to be announced, as is the custom, on New Year’s Day here in County Tipperary.
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