Mary Robinson named winner of 2018 Tipperary International Peace Prize

Mary Robinson

Mrs Robinson, who also served as UN high commissioner for human rights and currently chairs The Elders, will be awarded the prize in recognition of her work to ensure that human rights issues are a central tenet of global politics and governance.

The announcement was made yesterday by the Tipperary Peace Convention, who praised her for “putting human rights standards at the heart of global governance by ensuring that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage”.

Mrs Robinson joins a list of former winners which include Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Mary McAleese, Malala Yousafzai, Ban-ki Moon and last year’s recipient, former Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos.

She said: “I am very honoured to receive the Tipperary International Peace Award, which is a wonderful example of a local community organising a prize for peace which has achieved wide international standing and recognition.”

Martin Quinn, secretary of the Tipperary Peace Convention, added: “Mrs Robinson is a passionate, forceful advocate for gender equality, women’s participation in peace-building and human dignity in all regions of the world. Her advocacy on sustainable and people-centred development in the world’s poorest communities is recognised through her work on many international bodies.

“A tireless champion of women’s equality, Mrs Robinson has travelled to many conflict zones to promote peace efforts and to encourage reconciliation and democratic transition.

“Mrs Robinson is an outspoken advocate on the effects of climate change and of the need to focus the world’s attention to meet the urgent challenges posed by extreme weather events on the poorest and on the most vulnerable of communities.”