DENISE BERKLEY, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CSEA, TO RECEIVE RICHARD L. TRUMKA WORLD PEACE PRIZE FOR SOLIDARITY

DENISE BERKLEY, CSEA-AFSCME TO RECEIVE

RICHARD L. TRUMKA WORLD PEACE PRIZE FOR SOLIDARITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Telephone: 202-544-0568

Friday, November 17, 2023

The World Peace Prize has announced that another recipient of the “Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity” will be Denise Berkley, Executive Vice President, CSEA (Civil Service Employees Association) and an International Vice President of AFCME.

The Presentation Ceremony will take place during the first week (working week) of March 2024, 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM at CSEA Metropolitan Region 2 Office 125 Maiden Lane, 5th. Floor, New York, NY 10038

The actual date will be announced later.

Ms.Berkley’s office will issue the invitations to this free event—not a fundraiser. The World Peace Prize does not issue invitations.

The announcement was made by Fr. Sean, McManus, Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize and President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus/Irish Peace Foundation.

Fr. McManus said:

“I have the honor of being the Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize, which is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It was founded in 1989 by the late Presbyterian Minister Rev. Dr. Han Min Su.

The World Peace Prize Awarding Council is composed of representatives of the nine Major World Religions, and it selects worthy potential Laureates of the World Peace Prizes of ‘Roving Ambassador for Peace’; ‘World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership’; and ‘World Peace Prize for Solidarity,’ re-named after President Trumka’s death (August 5, 2021) the ‘Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity.”—www.worldpeaceprizewashington.org

“The late, great President Trumka, God rest him, on February 3, 2016, at his AFL-CIO Headquarters, helped us to launch the World Peace Prize throughout American Organized Labor. To do so, he graciously agreed to receive all three World Peace Prizes. He died before he could receive the World Peace Prize for Solidarity, so we posthumously presented it to his family, and then in his honor re-named it the ‘Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity.’

President Trumka deeply appreciated and enthusiastically supported our linking Organized Labor to the World Peace Prize and that is now an important part of his legacy. View his own 3-minute statement.”—

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13ZF5S61DVCS7Cuey4YAl3Dn6kA0ztr3C/view

RE-NAMING PRIZE WARMLY WELCOMED

The re-naming of the Prize has been warmly welcomed by the Trumka Family: “We are honored that Rich’s name will live on, always linked with solidarity and peace because the World Peace Prize for Solidarity will be re-named in his honor the ‘Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity.'” (October 9, 2021).

President Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO, said: “Rich Trumka’s contributions to peace and prosperity around the world were countless. He was a global ambassador for worker rights, economic justice, dignity, and respect for all human beings. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor.” (November 8, 2021).

And, his son, Rich Jr., has stated: “[My father] appreciated that the World Peace Prize saw what so many others missed…that organized labor through solidarity, and the pursuit of justice, forges the path to peace.” (January 5, 2023).

Fr. McManus explained: “In President Trumka’s memory, I now refer to American Organized Labor as “Organized Love of Neighbor” because “Love of Neighbor” means, in effect and consequence, the doing of social justice on this earth.

President Trumka also strongly supported our policy of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our selection of World Peace Prize Laureates.”

Denise Berkley, Executive Vice President, CSEA, and an International Vice President of AFCME.

Fr. McManus continued: “I was pleased and honored to propose

Denise Berkley, Executive Vice President, CSEA, for this very

special World Peace Prize because, like the late, beloved President Trumka, she has demonstrated life-long dedication to the Union, solidarity, social and economic justice, and peace.

Ms.Berkley is a distinguished, impressive, and effective Labor leader—a trailblazer and a legend in New York State and throughout American Organized Labor. And an ideal Laureate of the Richard L.Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity. The CSEA website states this about Ms. Berkley: ‘A longtime union activist, she remains just as committed today to the ongoing struggle for social, racial and economic justice for workers and communities, as when her activism began as a leader in the local struggle against apartheid in South Africa in her youth.'”(See her acceptance-quote below).

Since I became the Chief Judge, we have made social justice the heart and soul of peace, and of the World Peace Prize.

Why does a World Religion peace group make social justice so central?

Because, as the American Protestant Old Testament Scholar, Rev.Walter Brueggemann has stated: ‘In Biblical faith, the doing of justice is the primary expectation of God.’

Because Islamic scholar Ajmal Masroor states: ‘Standing firm for justice is considered closest to Godliness. In other words, my religious and social responsibility is to work for just causes.’

Because Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us that peace is the fruit of justice; and Saint Pope John Paul II taught us, ‘peace is the fruit of solidarity.’

Because the Catholic Church teaches: ‘… Action on behalf of justice [is] a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel…and [a constitutive dimension] of the Church’s mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation.’

Because this is how Jesus Christ, Himself, announced His mission: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has appointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, to give the blind new sight, and to set free all who are oppressed,” (Luke 4:18-19).

And because Jesus declared: “In so far as you did it to least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40).

That is why we were able to place American Organized Labor in the category of those who should be considered worthy recipients of the World Peace Prize—because Labor leaders who spend their lives fighting for social and economic justice for working women and men are also building peace locally, nationally, and worldwide.

And, the wonderful thing about placing social justice at the heart and center of peace is this: People of faith believe that faith must be the faith that does justice on this earth (otherwise, it is not faith). And people of no faith, but of goodwill, also know they have to do justice (otherwise, they are not of goodwill),” Fr. McManus concluded.

Vice President Berkley’s Acceptance Quote:

“I am honored and humbled to receive this precious Prize— a Prize not only for World Peace, which is so poignant in regards to our world today, but one re- named in honor of the beloved President Trumka, and a Prize dedicated to solidarity. I accept it not only as a personal honor but also as a corporate honor on behalf of our great union, CSEA.

I always admired President Trumka’s leadership, because he was a servant leader, working for others and not for themselves.

I am also pleased to accept this Prize because it means so much to President Trumka’s family. President Trumka’s leadership in helping to launch the World Peace Prize throughout American Organized Labor is now an important part of his splendid legacy. And I will do all I can to honor that legacy.” END OF QUOTE.

END.