The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Michael Conaghan, presented seven refugees and asylum seekers with awards to recognised their community work to mark today's World Refugee Day.
At a ceremony held in the Dublin Civic Offices last Thursday, the winners were acknowledged for promoting relations between new and established Irish communities and for contributing to Irish society.
Seven Irish people from local communities also received awards for their work with refugees and asylum seekers here.
Abrahim Wahid (20) came to Ireland at age 16 with his older brother and is a founding member of the Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club. Abrahim persuaded local gardaí to provide transport and the entry fee for two teams from Dún Laoghaire hostels to participate in the Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI) tournament in 2001.
Garda John Paul Durkan, ethnic liaison officer for Dún Laoghaire, also received the sports and leisure award for encouraging new communities in his area to get involved in sport.
Nigerian Abbey Okubadewjo was honoured with the community and environment award for her involvement in trying to break down barriers between communities in Longford.
Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism was awarded the corresponding community and environment award for her commitment to human rights.
Johnson Godwin and Bukasa Mukalenga (both 19), were presented with the judges' special award.
From Nigeria and the Congo respectively, they helped set up Foróige's first youth club for separated children seeking asylum in Dublin.
Catherine Butler was awarded the corresponding special judges' award for her work at the Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture.
Hlaleleni Karanda is the co-ordinator of the Zimbabwe Solidarity Campaign in Belfast. Hlaleleni was presented with the health and welfare award.
Ed and Jean Ritchie also won the health and welfare award for their work with asylum seekers in Killarney. This involved the setting up of a drop-in centre for new community residents.
John Moyo, a Zimbabwean asylum seeker living in Co Louth, was awarded for his contribution to education and was praised for his work around encouraging asylum seekers to become involved in education in the Dundalk Institute of Technology.
Chairwoman of the Dún Laoghaire refugee project Mary King was awarded the education and youth award for her work and support of refugees.
Atinuke Achioya, a member of the Louth African Women's Support Group, was presented with the arts and culture award. Atinuke was involved in a documentary on Africans in Ireland.
Bairbre Ní Chaoimh, artistic director of Calypso Productions, won the corresponding arts and culture award for highlighting refugee issues in her productions.