The search is on for the next recipient of one of Ireland’s most respected honours, the Tipperary International Peace Award. The Tipperary Peace Convention has opened nominations for the annual award, which celebrates individuals and organisations who have made a powerful and lasting contribution to peace and humanity.
First presented in 1984, the award has become a symbol of Tipperary’s proud tradition of promoting reconciliation, justice, and understanding across borders. Over the past four decades, it has drawn international recognition and brought some of the world’s most respected peacemakers to Ireland.
Past recipients include global figures such as Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bill Clinton, Mary Robinson, Malala Yousafzai, Ban Ki-moon, and last year’s honouree, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar. Closer to home, Mary and Martin McAleese, Dr Martin Mansergh and Fr Alex Reid have also been recognised for their roles in advancing peace on the island of Ireland.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s nomination process, Martin Quinn, honorary secretary of the Tipperary Peace Convention, said it was vital to continue highlighting those who strive for peace amid global unrest.
“In a time when conflict, displacement, and division continue to challenge our world, we must continue to shine a light on those who work tirelessly for peace and human dignity,” he said.
“The Tipperary International Peace Award stands as a testament to the power of both individual and collective action — and to the belief that peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, understanding, and compassion.”
Nominations are open to individuals, community groups, NGOs, and members of the public. Each submission should include the nominee’s name, a brief summary of their contribution to peace, and the proposer’s contact details. Entries can be sent by email to [email protected]
The Tipperary Peace Convention is encouraging everyone to take part:
“By nominating someone who embodies the highest ideals of peace, you not only help to honour their work, you help to affirm the enduring belief that peace is both possible and necessary, in every community and every nation.”