By Felix Anthony
New Delhi, Dec 11, 2022: A Salesian priest was conferred with 12th International Human Rights Award for his contribution to peace with media reforms by the Delhi-based All India Council of Human Rights Council.
Father C. M. Paul of the Calcutta Salesian province, currently working as Vice Principal at Salesian College, Siliguri in West Bengal, was presented with the award on December 10, the International Human Rights Day, at the Lodhi Road Islamic Centre Auditorium in New Delhi.
Accepting the award, Father Paul said, “This award is for all those who suffer injustice human rights violation silently.”
Speaking at the panel discussion prior to the award function, a veteran in the field of communication, Father Paul said, “If you have been a victim of human rights violation and injustice, only then you can be a voice for the voiceless. Let us join hands to pledge to protect human rights in our neighbourhood, society and country at large.”
After completing his Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication from Fordham University in New York, Father Paul became the first non-Italian director of Don Bosco News Agency in Rome.
Father Paul has served as a member of the Central Board of Film Certification, Government of India, Information and Broadcasting Ministry from 2006 to 2008. He is the founder director of the first two Mother Teresa International Film Festivals held in Kolkata.
Prior to this award, the 69-year-old priest has received John Barrett Best Report Award from Indian Catholic Press Association in 2008, Ambassador of Jesus Award Calcutta for outstanding Media Priest in 2006 and Media at the Service of the Gospel Award from International Catholic Film Festival, Warsaw, Poland in 2010.