Mrs Hillary Clinton was presented with the Irish-American Peace Prize last night in recognition of her contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland. Previous recipients of the award include her husband, President Clinton, and Senator George Mitchell.
The award, a Belleek Pottery basket of flowers, was presented to Mrs Clinton by Mr Niall O'Dowd, publisher of the Irish Voice.
The presentation, at the Georgetown home of Ambassador Frawley Bagley and her husband, Smith, was attended by leading Democrat politicians, including the Secretary of Education, Mr Richard Riley. It was organised by the Irish-American Democrats lobby group.
Part of the estimated $30,000 raised at the presentation will be used to help finance Mrs Clinton's campaign to win a Senate seat in New York in the November elections.
Mr O'Dowd praised the role Mrs Clinton had played in the Vital Voices organisation, which has worked with women from both communities in Belfast to help solve economic problems in deprived areas of the city.
The Irish Lesbian and Gay Organisation called off a demonstration outside the house to protest against Mrs Clinton marching in the New York St Patrick's Day parade. The ILGO has been banned by the AOH march organisers from participating in the parade under its own banner.