FORMER PRESIDENT Mary McAleese and her husband Senator Martin McAleese are to both receive the 2011 Tipperary International Peace Award.
The Tipperary peace convention announced the award yesterday in recognition of the couple’s work in “promoting peace and reconciliation” to coincide with the World Day of Peace.
In a statement, it described the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland last March as the “culmination of President McAleese’s long and dedicated work” in the area of reconciliation.
“Along with her work for reconciliation, she also used her time in office to address issues concerning justice, social equality, social inclusion and anti- sectarianism and her presidency has been a healing one for which this and future generations will be eternally grateful,” it added.
The convention also paid tribute to Dr Martin McAleese’s outreach work with loyalist paramilitaries.
Past recipients of the peace prize include former South African president Nelson Mandela, Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof, former US president Bill Clinton and Afghan human rights activist, Dr Sima Samar.
The McAleeses were selected from a short list of nominees, including Queen Nour of Jordan and former US president Jimmy Carter.