Top Labor Leader Tefere Gebre to Receive World Peace Prize

Posted By: September 12, 2017

                                                        For a life dedicated to justice

 CAPITOL HILL. Tuesday, September 12, 2017— The recipient of the 2017 World Peace Prize, “Roving Ambassador for Peace” has been announced.
The Prize will go to Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO.

The Prize will be presented on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, at 2:30-4:30 PM in the George Meany Room, AFL-CIO Headquarters, 815 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006.

 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 be able to propose Tefere Gebre 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 solidarity, equality, and justice for all.”

 Fr. Mc Manus continued: “Tefere became the first immigrant, political refugee, black man and local labor council leader elected as a national officer of the AFL-CIO. That is a significant, compelling narrative and a timely metaphor for today’s America and for today’s world—making him a most worthy recipient of the 2017 World Peace Prize, ‘Roving Ambassador for Peace.’”

Tefere Gebre said: ‘It is such a great honor to follow the footsteps of President Richard L. Trumka, President Emeritus John Sweeney and Elizabeth Powell, Secretary Treasurer, American Postal Workers Union, in receiving such a prestigious award.”

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, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox and Zoroastrianism.”

 Barbara Flaherty —Executive Vice President of the Irish National Caucus and WPPAC Judge Corporate Manager — said:“We greatly look forward to presenting the Prize to Mr. Gebre.It will be a special event for a special man of justice and peace.”