President Bill Clinton: ‘John Hume’s legacy will live on’
US President Bill Clinton has spoken of his “deep sadness” at the passing of a man he’d come to know as a close friend and respect as a political giant, Derry’s Nobel Laureate John Hume.
In a statement, the President recalled his visits to Derry, and the remarkable impression both the city and its most famous son left upon himself and his wife Hillary.
President Clinton said: “Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend John Hume, who fought his long war for peace in Northern Ireland.
“His chosen weapons: an unshakeable commitment to nonviolence, persistence, kindness and love.
“With his enduring sense of honour, he kept marching on against all odds towards a brighter future for all the children of Northern Ireland.
“Through his faith in principled compromise, and his ability to see his adversaries as human beings, John helped forge the peace that has held to this day.”
Recalling those visits to Derry, Mr Clinton added: “I’ll never forget our night in Derry in 1995, with the town square and blocks around full of hopeful faces, walking with him across the Peace Bridge nearly 20 years later, and all of the moments we shared in between.
“His legacy will live on in every generation of Northern Ireland’s young people who make John’s choice, to live free of the hatred and horror of sectarian violence. And it will endure in the hearts of those of us who loved him and will be shaped by his example to the end of our days.
“Our love and prayers are with Pat, their children and grandchildren. May he rest in peace, never losing the twinkle in his eye or the sly smile that lighted our lives.”