By Sean Ryan - 10 April, 2016
Nominations are currently been invited from the general public for the annual Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty memorial award which will be presented later this year.
In a statement last week, the Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society said that ‘’As part of the 9th annual Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Weekend, which will take place from Friday 4 November to Sunday 6 November 2016 in Killarney, the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society are inviting the public, NGOs/voluntary bodies, and organisations to nominate the person or organisation they feel is doing outstanding humanitarian work and most deserving of the 2016 Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award’’.
The recipient of the 2015 Humanitarian Award was Redemptorist missionary Fr Sean Myers who is based in Brazil.
From the Spring of 1960, Fr Sean dedicated his life to the spiritual and practical needs of his vast parish in the remote areas of north-east Brazil.
Previous recipients of the award include the Darfur-based Goal aid workers Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki (2009), Columban missionary Fr Michael Synott (2010), Trócaire’s regional director for Latin America, Sally O’Neill (2011), Sr Agnes Hunt of the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (2012), the inspirational young Kerryman Donal Walsh RIP (2013) and in the UK Dr John Beavis, founder of the overseas medical charity IDEALS (2014).
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who was from Killarney, was dubbed the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican for his high risk humanitarian efforts during the Nazi occupation of Rome in World War II.
During the course of the war he was instrumental in saving the lives of more than 6,500 anti-Fascists, Allied escapees, Jews and many others by hiding them from the Gestapo in a number of safe houses throughout Rome.
Mgr O’Flaherty’s humanitarian activities pre-dated WWII when he was honoured by the governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic for his work there during the 1930s.
Nominations for the 2016 Humanitarian Award are invited from:
• The general public,
• Voluntary organisations and humanitarian NGOs operating at home or overseas.
Nominations can be for an individual, team or organisation providing humanitarian services for those in need at home or overseas.
Nominations in no more than 500 words should be submitted in writing to the Awards Committee at the postal address or by e-mail to [email protected] before Friday 24 June 2016.
The nomination should clearly outline the reasons why the nominator feels that the nominated Individual/Team/Organisation merits consideration for this award.
An independent panel will fully consider the nominations received and will recommend a recipient to the Memorial Committee.
The 2016 Award recipient will be announced in late August and the award will be presented on Saturday 5 November during the 9th Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Week.
Further information on the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society visit www.hughoflaherty.com or contact the society on [email protected]
