Jon McCourt: Freedom of Derry awarded to abuse campaigner
- Published
Jon McCourt was nominated for the honour by People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin
A high-profile campaigner against institutional abuse has been granted the freedom of Derry City and Strabane.
A motion to give Jon McCourt the highest honour of the local council was passed in July.
Unionist councillors had previously used a council mechanism to ask for that decision to then be reviewed.
Mr McCourt, a former Official IRA member who turned down an MBE, was then put forward for the honour in September after a majority vote in council.
He formed the group Survivors North West after he spoke publicly about his own experience as a child at St Joseph's Boys' Home in Termonbacca in Derry.
Following a ceremony in the Guildhall on Tuesday, Mr McCourt said it was a huge honour to be made a freeman of the city and district.
He dedicated the award to anyone who has experience of historical institutional abuse.