World Peace Prize Comes to Rhode Island
Posted By: November 16, 2018
Fr. Sean McManus and Barbara Flaherty presenting World Peace Prize
to George Nee, President, Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
PROVIDENCE RI. Thursday. November 15, 2018—The World Peace Prize has come to the smallest State in America.
Presently, the World Peace Prize— founded in 1989 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea—is focusing on the huge contribution the Labor Movement has made to equality, justice and
peace, not only nationally but globally.
And on Thursday, November 15, the World Peace Prize,” Roving Ambassador for Peace,” was presented to George Nee, noted Labor leader, and president of Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
The presentation ceremony was chaired by Barbara Flaherty, Judge and Corporate Manager,
World Peace Prize and Executive Vice President of the Capitol Hill-base Irish National Caucus.
She welcomed the large turn-out in the Providence Convention Center and introduced both Fr. Sean McManus, Chief Judge, World Peace Prize, and president of the Irish National Caucus.
In his remarks, Fr. McManus said:” As new Judges based in the Nation’s Capital, we wanted to
make a signature innovation to the World Peace Prize: to squarely place the American Labor
Movement in the category of those who work for peace. Labor Leaders who spend their entire
lives working in solidarity for justice for working men and women are indeed working for peace
—not only nationally but also globally. Hence, Labor leaders are eminently qualified to be
candidates for the World Peace Prize of “Roving Ambassador for Peace… Of course, a
memorable quote by Pope John Paul II, from one of his great Encyclicals helped us to make the
case. Reflecting on the maxim “peace is the fruit of justice,” the pope declared: “Today, one
could say, with the same exactness and the same power of biblical inspiration peace is the fruit of
solidarity.” (“Solicitude for social concerns”). 39. 1988.
President Nee expressed deep appreciation for receiving the Prize, and great humility, stating he
was accepting it on behalf of all members of the AFL-CIO in Rhode Island. He also paid homage
to his “Patron Saint,” the late famed Cesar Chavez, for whom he worked in earlier days.
According to Fr. McManus, “George Nee is the quintessential, totally authentic Labor leader. He
is a most impressive man. Cesar Chavez would be proud of him, and so should the entire Labor
Movement in America.”
As is now, the practice of the Irish National Caucus at the end of these events, the Irish American
Peace Prize is also presented to a worthy recipient—one who has shown steadfastness in
standing up for equality, justice and peace in Ireland. This time the recipient was George
McLaughlin of Providence. Mr. Mc Laughlin is a longtime campaigner for justice in The
North/Northern Ireland. He is most recently known for his good work in arranging to erect a
tombstone in Philadelphia for Robert Cranston and Thomas Darragh, two of the Fenian heroes to
escaped from the Australian penal colony on the good ship Catalpa in 1876.
