Community Relations Council Good Relations Award 2020 – Press Release

Good Relations Award trophy | CRC NI

The Community Relations Council (CRC) is inviting nominations for the 2020 Good Relations Award.

Since 2006, CRC’s Awards have highlighted exceptional achievement in promoting community relations, intercultural work and peace building in Northern Ireland.

Previous Award winners have come from all parts of the region and worked in a wide variety of settings including women and peacebuilding, faith based work, youth work, community development, cross community work at interfaces, ethical remembering/commemorative work in a history of conflict.

Nominations for the Good Relations Award 2020 are now open. The deadline for submission of completed Nomination Forms will close at noon on 14th February 2020. Nomination Forms are available for download on the CRC website. Forms can also be requested by email using info@nicrc.org.uk or by telephoning 028 9022 7500.

Encouraging nominations for the Award Martin McDonald MBE, Chair of CRC, said:

The Good Relations Award recognises and highlights the excellent peace building work developed and delivered here. CRC is encouraging communities and organisations to identify the champions of good relations and reconciliation. It is important to acknowledge and celebrate the many efforts undertaken to create a more peaceful and reconciled society, in particular, the determination of people within and across our communities working for peace and good relations. This work includes promoting trust and interdependence, challenging sectarianism, racism and violence, supporting inter-cultural relations within our increasingly diverse society, and promoting conflict transformation.”

Last year, in 2019, the CRC Award recognised two women’s dedication to peace building and good relations education in rural areas. Marion Jamison from the organisation Reconciliation, Education and Community Training (REACT) based in Armagh, and Charmain Jones who comes from Portadown and works for Rural Community Network (RCN) had been working together, as well as individually, to contribute to positive good relations at local and regional level.

ENDS

Nomination Form

Download the Good Relations Award 2020 nomination form  

Press Release Notes

  1. For further comments and quotes, contact CRC team, Michael McGlade, Communications Officer mmcglade@nicrc.org.uk or Peter Day, Director of Engagement pday@nicrc.org.uk or phone 028 9022 7500
  2. The Community Relations Council was established in 1990 to lead and support change towards reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust. CRC is an Arms' Length Body of The Executive Office, a Department of the Northern Ireland Executive, and a catalyst for good inter-community and inter-cultural community relations work in the region.
  3. CRC website: /
  4. CRC address: Equality House, 7-9 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast, BT2 7DB
  5. Previous winners: Marion Jamison and Charmain Jones (joint winners 2019); Eamonn Deane; Derrick Wilson; Anne Carr; Renee Crawford and Jean Brown; Dr David Stevens; Mary Kelly; Rab McCallum and Michael Acheson; Chris O’Halloran; Maureen Hetherington; Paul McCrory; Fr Gary Donegan; and Eileen Weir.
  6. Rural Community Network (RCN)
  7. Reconciliation, Education and Community Training (REACT NI)
  8. Nomination Forms include a section to provide background information on the nominee, outlining their contribution to peacebuilding and community relations work by reference to the following criteria:
    1. Evidence of the exceptional, sustained and long-term commitment of the nominee/s to community relations work.
    2. Evidence of the commitment of the nominee/s to community relations/intercultural work beyond single community across Northern Ireland and/or across the Border.
    3. Influence on thinking on peace-building and community relations issues.
    4. Embodiment of Community Relations Council values - fairness and justice (Equity), the peaceful celebration of variety and difference (Diversity) and the importance of sharing, trust and inclusion (Interdependence).
  9. Please note that the Award is given to an individual, or exceptionally two individuals acting in partnership, rather than to a group.  Also, the nominee must be still living in order to receive the trophy in person. 
  10. Self-nominations are not permitted. Staff and Board Members of the Community Relations Council, and their family members, are ineligible although they may nominate others.