Clooney on Tipperary peace award shortlist for Darfur campaign

Actor George Clooney has been shortlisted for the Tipperary International Peace Award, organisers said yesterday.

He will be judged alongside five other nominees, shortlisted from 24 nominations chosen by members of the public and by peace-related organisations.

The other shortlisted nominees are Northern Ireland First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley; Cardinal Seán Brady; former taoiseach Dr Garret FitzGerald; Suzanne Mubarak, wife of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak; and Iranian lawyer and Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ibadi.

The Tipperary peace award was founded in 1984. Its principal aim is to give recognition to those who promote the ideals of peace and peaceful co-operation both in Ireland and abroad.

Previous winners have included New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and the New York fire department following the September 11th attacks; South African president Nelson Mandela; former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev; the late senator Gordon Wilson; and Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof. Last year, the award was given to retired Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh Dr Robin Eames.

Clooney was shortlisted for his campaign to draw attention to the conflict in the western Darfur region, in which more than 200,000 people have died from the effects of war, famine and disease.

Last year he spoke in front of the UN Security Council on providing aid to the region. He has travelled to Egypt, Chad and China to campaign on the issue.

Martin Quinn, spokesman and committee member of the award group, said yesterday they had not yet informed the nominees they had been shortlisted.

The Tipperary Peace Convention committee will adjudicate on the nominations later this month.

"We will make the announcement on New Year's Day because it is World Peace Day," Mr Quinn said.