Fr. Sean McManus, Patrick J. Eiding and Barbara Flaherty

CAPITOL HILL. Tuesday, November 20, 2018—— It was appropriate, given the nature of the Prize, that the World Peace Prize would makes its way to Philadelphia—”City of Brotherly Love.”
And on Tuesday, November 20, the World Peace Prize of “Roving Ambassador for Peace,” was presented to one of Philadelphia’s favorite sons.

Patrick J. Eiding, President, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, was the recipient of the Prize, instituted in Seoul, South Korea in 1989 by its World Leader, Presbyterian Minister, Rev. Dr. Han Min Su.

The presentation ceremony was chaired by Barbara Flaherty, Judge and Corporate Manager, World Peace Prize and Executive Vice President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus. She welcomed the large audience in the Philadelphia AFL-CIO headquarters and introduced both Fr. Sean McManus—Chief Judge, World Peace Prize, and president of the Irish National Caucus— and President Eiding.

Fr. Mc Manus in explaining the meaning and history of the World Peace Prize said: “Since 2013 when we became Judges, our signature contribution to the World Peace Prize has been two-fold: (1) to make justice front and center, heart, and soul, of peace; and, (2), to recognize —in the words of the great President Richard L. Trumka, AFL-CIO— “the nexus between Organized Labor and peace… recognizing the connection between fighting for social justice and peace. … thereby establishing the principle that Labor leaders are eminently qualified to be candidates for the World Peace Prize of “Roving Ambassador for Peace.”

President Eiding is a legendary Labor leader, both locally and nationally, and has served the Labor Movement for over forty years. He is involved in many civic, charitable, educational and government activities. Prior to being elected President of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO in January 2002, Eiding served for over 25 years as Business Manager of the Insulators and Asbestos Workers Local 14 covering Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

He expressed deep appreciation on being selected a “Roving Ambassador for Peace,” and recounted some of his, and Labor’s struggle for justice for working men and women. Despite his legendary Labor status, President Eiding showed he is still a very grounded Union man, concluding his acceptance speech by quoting Mother Theresa’s famous maxim: ”What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”