Hari Shukla, a pioneer in bridge-building between ethnic communities, has been honoured by his city, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Hari Shukla was this month, May 2006, made a Freeman of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. At a special ceremony in the Civic Centre, the Lord Mayor conferred the honorary title on behalf of the City Council.
The Newcastle Journal described Shukla as 'one of the North East's leading multicultural ambassadors ... the first person from an ethnic minority to receive the accolade, nominated for his contribution to education, community and interfaith relations.' He was for many years Director of the Tyne and Wear Race Equality Council, was awarded the OBE and is now a Deputy Lord Lieutenant. On receiving the award, Hari Shukla paid special tribute to his wife and family for their support, as well as to the many people from all sections of the community with whom he had worked over the years on the basis of ‘what is right and not who is right’.
The Newcastle Journal stated that in the city's 120 year history there had been 86 honorary freemen, including Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Sir Bob Geldorf and a number of well known sports personalities. Hari Shukla has, for many years, been engaged in local and international initiatives of Initiatives of Change and acknowledges that its moral values have reinforced him in his bridge-building work within and between communities.
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