Champions of diversity and anti-racism were honoured at a gala ceremony in Dublin’s famous GPO for the 2012 Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (MAMA).
Champions of diversity and anti-racism were honoured at a gala ceremony in Dublin’s famous GPO for the 2012 Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (MAMA).
This was ninth year of the MAMAs, which recognise and celebrate the people, groups, events, companies and institutions that promote cross-cultural understanding and co-operation throughout Ireland.
The MAMAs are an initiative of Metro Éireann, Ireland’s only multicultural newspaper, with Dublin City Council’s One City One People campaign, and are proudly supported by An Post, Dublin City Council’s Office for Integration, MK Design Studio and the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration.
Entries for the two main categories of the awards – Multicultural and Media – were received from the voluntary, state and private sectors, individuals, and from print, broadcast, and visual media.
The awards ceremony was hosted by Shalini Sinha, life coach and commentator on cultural diversity and life issues, for the ninth time since their establishment in 2002. Cllr Mary O’Shea, who represented the Lord Mayor of Dublin, presented the awards with representatives from MAMA sponsors including Dublin City Council’s Office for Integration.
They were joined by other special guests, including Dr Dáire Keogh, President of St Patrick’s College Drumcondra; Ambassador PÄ“teris KÄrlis Elferts of Latvia; Ambassador Jeremiah Ndou of South Africa; and Dr Linus Offiah, consultant in emergency medicine at Monaghan and Cavan Hospitals.
Joining them were management consultant Eddie Molloy, Aneesh Dewan of Indian restaurant chain Jaipur and Sr Breege Keenan of the Vncentian Refugee Centre, who was also on the judging panel
“Integration remains an ongoing challenge, particularly in the current economic climate, ” said Cllr Mary O’Shea, who represented the Lord Mayor of Dublin. “I am very happy to see that Dublin City Office for Integration is doing a very good job in promoting and celebrating the diversity of our population.
“I congratulate both the organisers and winners of the 2012 MAMA Awards for their wonderful achievement.”
The main winners of the 2012 MAMAs announced today include Noeline Blackwell, Director General of the Free Legal Advice Centres (Flac), who received the Special Judges’ Award for her long-standing commitment to justice and equality for all, including people from immigrant backgrounds.
Nigerian-born Emmanuella Salako was honoured for utilising her professional dance school, Crystal Ice Dance Academy, to promote integration in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Foundation Football Club, which is affiliated with the Galway Football Association and has over 70 adult and child members, received the group in non-governmental sector prize for its work in promoting social integration. The club has organised summer camps, street leagues and a Galway Cup of Nations, among other activities.
Also, De La Salle College, Churchtown, Dublin, which has a diverse school population comprising some 24 nationalities and has adopted numerous initiatives to promote integration, won the multicultural award for public sector. The senior rugby team is captained by a boy of Lithuanian background, while the new school tie was designed by a student originally from Nigeria.
Barney Whelan, director of communications and corporate affairs with An Post, commented: “These awards are about all that is good and positive about our country today. They recognise courage and collaboration, resilience and persistence. They recognise success. ”
Others winners are the Goethe-Institut Ireland, which received the multinational organisation prize for promoting discussion on the challenges and opportunities connected with migration. The Goethe-Institut has co-operated with universities, cultural partners and migrant rights organisations to guarantee a multi-faceted perspective and a diverse and interested audience.
Nasha Gazeta, a weekly newspaper for Ireland’s Russian-speaking communities, won the print media award for contributing to the integration of Russian speakers by informing them about key issues concerning life in Ireland.
Sarah Blake’s documentary ‘Old School, New School’, broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1, won the broadcast media category. The documentary, part of the Documentary on One strand, provided an insight into life in Gambia and highlighted the universal benefits of cross-cultural exchange.
The visual media prize went to Animo Television’s ‘The New Irish - After the Bust’, directed by Kim Bartley, produced by Mairead Whelan and broadcast on RTÉ One. The programme told the stories of immigrants who came to Ireland primarily during the boom years, when the economy was the shining light of Europe, and who have decided to stay despite the economic uncertainty.
Gerry Folan, head of integration at Dublin City Council’s Office for Integration, underlined the importance for Dublin of acknowledging “the diversity of our population and the contribution which immigrant communities continue to make to the social, political, economic and cultural life of the city”.
“The MAMA Awards recognise the unsung heroes who are promoting intercultural understanding, encouraging integration and standing up against racism,” said Metro Éireann editor and awards founder Chinedu Onyejelem. “I believe that such recognition is vital and this is particularly the case in these tough economic times.”
Onyejelem expressed gratitude to An Post, Dublin City Council’s Office for Integration and MK Design Studio for supporting the 2012 MAMAs.
Previous winners of MAMAs include comedian Des Bishop; Garda Detective Inspector Mary Gormley; young Indian classical pianist Utsav Lal; Dublin City Libraries; and the Irish Football Association (Northern Ireland). Media gongs have been won by journalists with organisations such as The Irish Times, RTÉ and the Limerick Leader.
