Tasmanians are heartened by today’s news:
Jeremy Ball, who recently was lost to us all, has been individually acknowledged by the Human Rights Week Tasmania Organising Committee which this afternoon announced the 2014 Tasmanian Human Rights Awards.
Jeremy was awarded the prestigious Tasmanian Human Rights Individual Award – postumously – and it was received by his wife Karina and sons Griffin and Jasper (above). Jeremy’s parents, siblings, friends, associates and various members of the Launceston community were amongst many others who were there to take part on the Awards Presentations, in the Reception Room in the Parliament building in Hobart.
Last year Awards were presented for the following categories:
School Award, Angus Downie Print Journalism Award, Award for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse community-focused activity, Organisation Award,Human Rights Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Award, Human Rights Youth Award, Sports Award, Award for Mental Health Focused Activity and the Individual Award.
We were told the following:
This years Human Rights Individual Award celebrates the extraordinary life of a man who made a profound, passionate and enduring contribution to the people of Tasmania and particularly to the people in and around Launceston – Jeremy Ball.
As you will know sadly Jeremy passed away earlier this year. Those who knew Jeremy know of the contribution he made to championship rights and opportunity for all members of the community adn his passion for fairness and respect.
Those who didin’t know him simply had to read the outpouring of sadness and thanks from all parts of the community in the hundreds of messages of condolence in the media following his death to get a glimpse into the contribution Jeremy’s short life achieved for people of all ages, opportunities and backgrounds.
So it is with a mixture of sadness and delight and deepest respect to his family that [the MC] announced this years Individual Human Rights Awards goes to
Jeremy Ball
For his passionate and creative commitment to promoting equality, fairness and inclusion so that young, old and new Tasmanians could work together to remove barriers and celebrate each other’s contribution to our community.
Jeremy’s wife Karina, children and Jasper and parents John and Caroline (and many of his friends from Launceston) are here today and I would like to ask Karina to come forward to accept the award.
Karina, Griffin and Jasper then came forward to collect the award
Fellow nominees for this award were:
Mieka Tabart, for her innovative work in supporting asylum seekers
Waqas Durranii for his work with overseas students and the broader community
Neal Rodwell for his leadership in supporting disadvantaged youth and people with disability
Dr Jennifer Bond for her lifelong support for human rights, health and peace activities both here and overseas.
