Famous Shalom Human Rights Award Presented To Irish Missionary Priest

Hot Press
May 8, 2017

http://www.hotpress.com/Fr-Shay-Cullen/Famous-Shalom-Human-Rights-Award-Presented-To-Irish-Missionary-Priest/20021098.html

The prestigious award for human rights defenders has been presented to the Preda Foundation in the Philippines, which was setup by Father Shay Cullen, who was the subject of a 'Hot Press Interview' back in 2007.

The Irish missionary priest, who was presented the Meteor Humanitarian Award back in 2009, received the Shalom award during the weekend from Ulrike Schurr, the chairperson of the Justice and Peace group of the Catholic University Eichstaett-Ingolstadt.

She said that the award was richly deserved because of the international impact of the work of Preda and Father Shay Cullen. The conferring ceremony was held on 6 May in the University Grand hall and was attended by the leading civic and church personalities and the representative of the president of the University.

Ulrike Thoenniges, President of Tatort-verein Foundation based in Cologne, outlined in her speech the important work of the Preda Foundation and Columban Missioner Father Shay Cullen and his team defending human rights in the Philippines. She said the extraordinary work for the past 43 years has been consistent and unrelenting in commitment and dedication.

It was "very important work", she said, that was an inspiration to the world and greatly deserved the Shalom Award. It is a work that is on going, she added, and consisted of rescuing children illegal detained in jails and saving victims of human trafficking. The children, she said, are rescued from sexual predators and sex tourists and their abusers. The work gives the children shelter and healing therapy and reintegration.

In his acceptance speech Father Shay Cullen said he accepted it on behalf of those who worked on his team for human rights and protecting and healing the victims of human trafficking, abused children and young women.

He added that accepted the award not for himself "but for the victims of oppression, human rights violations, and every kind of abuse. He called on every one to take a strong stand for the human dignity and rights and never to remain silent when there are abuses in the community."