Patrick's honour for his work on racial equality

Mr Yu, former CEO of the NI Council for Ethnic Minorities, is being honoured for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of racial equality, diversity and multiculturalism.

He joins 13 inspirational individuals working across sport, the arts, the economy, engineering, peacebuilding and the community, who will be honoured by the University for making an exceptional contribution to their field, at the University’s 2017 summer graduations.

Mr Yu was the former Executive Director of NICEM, the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities. He is actively involved in human rights and race equality in Northern Ireland, UK, Europe (Council of Europe and EU) and the United Nations.

He was honoured in the Queen’s 2006 New Year list for an OBE on Community Relations in Northern Ireland.

Mr Yu said he will be delivering a speech at the graduation ceremony in July and said he is very proud to receive the honour.

A passionate activist for human rights, Mr Yu was critical of the newly formed Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council who he said had been ‘passive’ in relation to integration programmes.

He called on the council to have more ‘joined-up thinking’ in relation to various issues he had raised with the Council, particularly migrant workers.

Ulster University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paddy Nixon, said: “Each of these recipients has made an indelible mark in their field, advancing knowledge, building community, achieving excellence and above all acting as inspirational role models for us all.”