Rev Karen Sethuraman delivered the invocation at the 28th annual Aisling Awards ceremony in the Europa Hotel on Friday past.
The only female Baptist minister in Ireland, the Rev Sethuraman is currently a Pastor of SoulSpace, a Peace and Reconciliation hub, based in Belfast.
This is the full text of her invocation:
We all have a story and our stories make up the rich tapestry of who we are as a city
Stories of falling down and rising up
Stories of success and failure
Stories of gain and loss
Stories of trauma and brokenness. We are a wounded people...we know the cost
But there will always be beauty for ashes
There will always be those who dream
There will always be those who come together to create a better future for others to see — this is a glimpse of what can be
Tonight reminds us that light and hope will always break through
It breaks through and spreads throughout our city and communities...through each and every single one of you
You work tirelessly day in and day out to make our communities a better place to live
Through sport, environment, arts, Irish language, our youth and not forgetting our leaders in business
Thank you for being courageous — thank you for standing tall — for your grit and resilience — you are an example to us all
I pray we continue to place our shoulder to the wheel —
Restoring, Repairing, Reviving and Rebuilding our city to show that we as a people can heal
Friends, we see all that you do
You are heroes and this evening will honour and celebrate you.
