Categories

This category has been awarded annually since 2006 by the Community Relations Council. It aims to recognise individuals who are instrumental in developing new pathways to peace and reconciliation, demonstrating sustained and long-term commitment to community relations work beyond a single community, across Northern Ireland and/or across the border region. Previous winners have influenced thinking on peacebuilding and community relations issues and embody the values of the Community Relations Council: fairness and justice (Equity); the peaceful celebration of variety and difference (Diversity); and the importance of sharing trust and inclusion (interdependence).

This Award aims to recognise the outstanding commitment of a volunteer who is focused and dedicated to peacebuilding, and who supports Good Relations programmes and initiatives in their local community. This Award will recognise an individual who helps to create a community that promotes mutual respect and understanding. They will have brought people together, changing attitudes and embracing difference, developing mutual respect and understanding, strengthening and enhancing the celebration of cultural expression and diversity, all as an unpaid volunteer.

This Award aims to recognise the long-standing, positive difference an individual has made to supporting Good Relations in their local area. This person is the driving force and leader for Good Relations in their local area, creating a community that promotes mutual respect and understanding, is strengthened by its diversity, and where cultural expression is celebrated and embraced. This person regularly goes over and above to champion the community, while also supporting others and bringing them on the good relations journey. They may be a volunteer or be employed in this work.

This Award aims to recognise and celebrate young people under the age of 25 who are delivering positive Good Relations work in their community. The Award can be for either: an individual; a group of young people; a school; a youth club; or a youth-focused organisation. The nominee’s peacebuilding activity will have helped to create a community that promotes mutual respect and understanding, is strengthened by its diversity, and is somewhere cultural expression is celebrated and embraced. They bring people together, helping to develop mutual respect and understanding, and enhancing the celebration and embracing of diversity.

This Award recognises a group of local people who have formed a project or delivered an activity that brings together a community to promote mutual respect and understanding, is strengthened by its diversity, and where cultural expression is celebrated and embraced, thus benefiting others in their community. The judges would particularly encourage projects that focus on welcoming new communities or on bringing generations together, building good relations and dealing with peacebuilding issues within the community.

The Good Relations ‘Housing for All’ Award is dedicated to recognising those involved in the Shared Housing Programme. This Award aims to showcase individuals or groups working in a voluntary capacity within their community. The award is specifically designed to recognise those who build bridges in their community, build mutual respect and understanding, break down barriers to diversity, and encourage sustainable shared places and communities as part of the Shared Housing Programme.

This category aims to recognise an outstanding use of sport or physical activity by a community club or organisation to create stronger communities through social impact. This award will celebrate the ways in which sport can build bridges, drive change and transform lives in a positive way, either through the specific work of a club or a project it has developed. Sport has the ability to transforms the lives of people while strengthening communities throughout the region, and this award will showcase such projects.

The Northern Ireland Community Relations Council, in association with the Education Authority, invites nominations for the Good Relations Peacebuilding Through Education Award.

This award aims to recognise the outstanding contribution of a teacher or school leader who is:

• Committed to promoting Good Relations and peacebuilding through education
• Supporting children and young people to build understanding, respect, and positive relationships within their own school community and with others
• Leading collaborative initiatives that celebrate diversity, challenge prejudice, and foster meaningful connections within and beyond the school community.

This award recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution to strengthening Good Relations through their professional practice and leadership. Through their dedication, they help create opportunities for collaboration with other schools, dialogue, shared learning, mutual understanding, and respect for diversity, supporting pupils, staff, families, and communities to build positive and lasting relationships.