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Two Distinguished Labor Leaders to Receive World Peace Prize

John Sweeney, AFL-CIO President Emeritus and Elizabeth Powell, Secretary-Treasurer, APWU

Two Distinguished Labor Leaders to Receive World Peace Prize

John Sweeney, AFL-CIO President Emeritus and Elizabeth Powell, Secretary-Treasurer, APWU

Published 12-02-16

Submitted by Irish National Caucus

The recipients of the 2016 World Peace Prize, “Roving Ambassadors for Peace” have been announced.

The Prize will go to two leading members of the American Labor Movement: AFL—CIO President Emeritus Mr. John Sweeney and Ms. Elizabeth Powell, Secretary-Treasurer,  American Postal Workers Union (APWU). 

Fr. Sean Mc Manus — President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus and Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize Awarding Council (WPPAC)— said: “I have the honor of being the Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize Awarding Council (headquartered in Seoul, South Korea), and was pleased to be able to propose both John and Elizabeth for the Award on the basis that if one works in solidarity for justice for working men and women, one is, indeed, working for peace. I was delighted that our 14-member panel of international and interfaith judges unanimously agreed. We strongly believe that the Labor Movement should be recognized as powerfully contributing to world peace—based on equality and justice. That is, also, why the 2015 World Peace Prize –Top Award was presented to AFL-CIO President Trumka. The ‘Roving Ambassador for Peace’ is the second-tier Award.” 

The presentation of the “Roving Ambassador for Peace” award will take place on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at 2:30 -4:30 PM at the AFL-CIO Headquarters, 815 16th St., N.W., Washington D.C. 20006.

Fr. Mc Manus explained: “The World Peace Prize was initiated in Seoul, South Korea in 1989 by the visionary Reverend Dr. Han Min Su, a Presbyterian Minister who has dedicated his life to promoting world peace by bringing together East and West and representatives of all the major  world religions: Judaism, lslam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Russian Orthodox and Zoroastrianism. 

Fr. Mc Manus continued: “John Sweeney personifies the strong and proud record of Irish-Americans in the history of the Labor Movement’s struggle for justice. Elizabeth Powell, a strong and proud African-American, is the first woman to hold the position of Secretary-Treasurer in the APWU. She personifies the Dream of Martin Luther King Jr. as she blazes the trail for justice, equality and peace, thereby building up the ‘Beloved Community’— the term Dr. King made famous.”

Fr. Mc Manus concluded: “The Beloved Community should be the model for all social justice action and solidarity—nationally and internationally. It should also be the objective of all SRI
(Socially Responsible Investment) activity. As Dr. King said: “I do not think of political power as an end. Neither do I think of economic power as an end. They are ingredients in the

objective that we seek in life. And I think that end or that objective is a truly brotherly [and sisterly] society, the creation of the Beloved Community.”

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Irish National Caucus

Irish National Caucus

THE IRISH LOBBY
The Irish National Caucus (INC) is the Irish lobby on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. It is a human rights organization dedicated to getting the United States to stand up for justice and peace in Ireland.

NONPROFIT
The Irish National Caucus is a nonprofit organization(registered in Washington, D.C., 1978). It is a 501(c)(4). The INC’s sister organization, the Irish Peace Foundation, is recognized by the I.R.S. as being eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3)

NONVIOLENT
The Irish National Caucus is nonviolent, nonpartisan and nonsectarian. It has no foreign principal and does support , morally or financially, any group or party in any part of Ireland. It does not send money to Ireland. All its funds are raised and spent in the United States.

HISTORIC VISION
The Irish National Caucus was the first Irish organization in history to open and maintain headquarters on Capitol Hill to lobby for justice and peace in Ireland. That fact alone tells you a lot about the vision and purpose of the Irish National Caucus - not to mention its determination and ability.

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