We are delighted
to announce that two individuals associated with
PeacePlayers International have received the Arthur
Ashe Courage Award at the 2007 ESPY Awards.
Through your generosity, The
American Ireland Fund has contributed over $500,000
to PeacePlayers since 2003.
Trevor Ringland
and David Cullen – volunteers with PeacePlayers
International – received the prestigious Arthur
Ashe Courage Award at The 2007 ESPYs. Samuel L. Jackson
presented the award to Trevor, a Protestant rugby
star and Ireland Fund Director, and Dave, a Catholic
who grew up playing basketball to escape the realities
of terror in Northern Ireland. • more
info and video >
The awards ceremony was held at Hollywood’s
Kodak Theatre and was televised on Sunday, July 15,
2007 on ESPN.
PeacePlayers International – Northern
Ireland is among The American Ireland Fund’s
leading philanthropic causes in Northern Ireland. The American Ireland Fund is a lead supporter, having
contributed over $500,000 since 2003.
The sport a child plays indicates from which side
of the community they come in the North. Sport is
a major cause of division there. PeacePlayers International
introduced basketball – an American import – as
a neutral sport that could be embraced by all. Today,
over 4,000 Catholic and Protestant children participate
in the PeacePlayers International program.
“We are
delighted that Trevor Ringland and Dave Cullen,
two of PPI – Northern Ireland’s
key leaders, will be honored with this humanitarian
award. It is wonderful that their work
with PeacePlayers International, an organization
with which we are so closely involved, is
being recognized,”
said
Bob McCann, President, Global Private Client
Group, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and
Board Member of The American Ireland Fund.
“Growing
up surrounded by the turmoil in Northern
Ireland, Trevor and Dave rose above it all,
dedicating their time to bringing children
together at a young age through a sport that
has no religious affiliation. They
were inspired to do so by PeacePlayers International
and we salute them for this much deserved
honor.” |
About PeacePlayers International (www.peaceplayersintl.org)
Founded in 2001 by brothers, Sean and Brendan
Tuohey, on the premise that “children who
play together can learn to live together.” PeacePlayers
International’s mission is to use basketball
to unite and educate young people in divided regions.
The organization currently operates year-round basketball
and educational programs in Northern Ireland; South
Africa; Israel/West Bank; and Cyprus, reaching more
than 45,000 children. In September 2007, PeacePlayers
International plans to launch its first domestic
program in New Orleans. PeacePlayers International
is led by young adults from the United States and
around the globe who serve as coaches, mentors and
leaders.
About The Arthur Ashe Courage Award
The
award is presented each year to sports men and women
whose achievements transcend sports. Additional
past recipients include: Jim Valvano (1993), Steve
Palermo (1994), Howard Cosell (1995), Loretta Claiborne
(1996), Muhammad Ali (1997), Dean Smith (1998), Billie
Jean King (1999), Dave Sanders (2000), Olympian Cathy
Freeman (2001), Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett
and Jeremy Glick, four passengers who lost their lives
September 11 on United Flight 93 (2002), Pat and Kevin
Tillman (2003) and Liberian-born soccer legend George
Weah (2004).
About The American Ireland Fund
The
American Ireland Fund is the leading worldwide network
of people of Irish ancestry and friends of Ireland
dedicated to raising funds to support programs of peace
and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and
community development for the island of Ireland. With
operations in 11 countries, The Ireland Funds have
created a unique global network of people with an interest
in Ireland and have to date raised over $300 million
for more than 1,200 non-profit organizations in Ireland. |
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