John and Pat Hume Foundation pays tribute to former US President Jimmy Carter

The John and Pat Hume Foundation has paid tribute to former US President Jimmy Carter in his role as a global peacemaker.

John Hume, Chair of the John and Pat Hume Foundation said: “President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Peace laureate was a global peacemaker, a courageous advocate for human rights and an extraordinary humanitarian.

“In 1979, counselled by Governor Hugh Carey from New York, Senator Pat Moynihan and Senator Ted Kennedy in the Senate, and Speaker Tip O’Neill and guided by my father’s deep commitment to non-violence, peaceful change and human rights, President Carter made a ground-breaking statement on peace and economic support for Northern Ireland. This statement was the foundation stone in the United States positive and constructive influence on the NI peace process over the next 30 years.

“The offer of US economic goodwill was a consistent theme in John Hume building the axis of positive US interest. This was given meaning with support for International Fund, driven by US Congress support,  after the Anglo-Irish Agreement. This support continued with President Clinton's special economic conference after ceasefires and originally appointing Sen. George Mitchell and Sen. Pat Leahy as Economic Envoy’ .

“The legacy of President Carter is the Carter Centre, which has and continues to be an exemplar on how to promote conflict resolution, human rights and the easing of human suffering."

In the book "John Hume in America," written by Maurice Fitzpatrick, President Carter explained why he chose to take a new approach to the situation in Northern Ireland.

He said: "When I was elected President and gave my inaugural address, I called for the United States to be a champion of human rights and to promote peace everywhere we could in the world.

"Obviously, I learned very quickly that one of the main challenges for peace and human rights was in Northern Ireland, in its relationship with the rest of Ireland and also with Great Britain. Soon, Governor Hugh Carey from New York, Pat Moynihan and Ted Kennedy in the Senate, and Tip O’Neill started giving me information about it quite often.

"Pat Moynihan and the others, Tip O’Neill, would quote John Hume and his efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Irish problem. I became convinced that the United States should speak out for change on this issue and call for honouring the desire for the Northern Ireland people for peace – with Great Britain and the rest of Ireland – and also for recognition by the international community.

"So I drafted a statement that was issued the first year I was in office, not only calling for the United States to be directly involved but also to promise that if peace was achieved, the United States would join with others in giving financial assistance to job creation."