Dalai Lama says John Hume epitomised a deep commitment to the non-violent resolution of issues

A message from the Dalai Lama was read at the funeral mass of John Hume this morning.

"I am sorry to learn about the passing of John Hume. I would like to offer my condolences to you and the members of the family.

"I was pleased to be able to meet John during one of my several visits to Northern Ireland. Indeed, his deep conviction in the power of dialogue and negotiations in resolving the problem in his homeland has been an example of non-violent resolution of issues," he stated.

The Tibetan leader has been a regular visitor to Derry and is a friend of Richard Moore, the Children in Crossfire founder, who was blinded after being shot in the face by a British soldier when he was a boy,

In his funeral message he said: "It was his leadership and his faith in the power of negotiations that enabled the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to be reached. His steady persistence set an example for all of us to follow.

"Although my fellow Nobel laureate is no longer with us, his message about peace and nonviolence in the resolution of conflict, no matter how protracted or difficult it may seem to be, will long survive him. He lived a truly meaningful life."