SHALOM HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD PRESENTED TO FATHER SHAY CULLEN OF PREDA.
7 May 2017
The famous Shalom Award for Human Rights defenders has been presented to the Preda Foundation, in the Philippines through Father Shay Cullen by Ulrike Schurr 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 last 6 May 2017 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 gave The Laudation or introduction to the work of Preda. She outlined in her speech the important work of the Preda Foundation and Columban Missioner Father Shay Cullen and his Preda team defending human rights in the Philippines. She said the extraordinary work for the past forty-three-years has been consistent and unrelenting in commitment and dedication.
It was a very important work that was an inspiration to the world and greatly deserved the Shalom Award. It is a work that is on going, she said, 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 accepted he said 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.
The distinguished audience of professors of academia, students, civic leaders and Fair traders and the general public present gave a sustained applause in acknowledgement of the achievements and accomplishments of the Preda Foundation in defending and promoting human rights.
Read more on www.preda.org.
