Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire (BCNH) was awarded with “2016 MLK Coalition Special Award” at the 34th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration at the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Manchester, New Hampshire on January 18, 2016.
The award was bestowed to BCNH for its continued efforts on refugees and immigrants integration in the state and its unflagging support to the new Americans in their resettlement needs. Along with BCNH, a Derry resident Paul Doolittle was also awarded with 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his continued support to refugees.
NH Governor, Maggie Hassan, congratulated BCNH for being this year’s recipient of the award and said, “Together we can build the brighter future for all of us”. Citing her father’s inequality experience, Governor Hassan stated that her father grew up in segregated Florida but he learned to respect African-Americans when he fought beside them in World War II.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Arthur Hilson, said the country is moving closer to King’s dream but still has a long way to go. Dr. Hilson is one of the participants who attended King’s Washington speech.
Executive Director of New American Africans and 2014 recipient of Martin Luther King Jr. Award, Honore Murenzi, applauded BCNH for offering its array of services not only to Bhutanese but to other New Americans too. Speaking in the event, Mr. Murenzi, thanked BCNH for being very instrumental in helping realize New Americans’ American Dream.
Photo by: Guru Subedi
On behalf of the organization, Guru Subedi, the incumbent Board Chair of BCNH, expressed his gratitude to the advisors of BCNH, the well-wishers, supporters, volunteers, receiving communities, the US Government, the city governments and the state government for their continued support. I thank all the staff and the Board of Directors of BCNH for their hard work, dedication and their passion to serve New Americans for their meaningful integration in the Granite State, he said.
The event attracted around 300 people including dozens of City Year volunteers, a crowd of activists, civic leaders, honorees and public officials. Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard and one alderman, Pat Long from the City of Manchester graced the event.
