Nobel Laureate John Hume, a prominent Northern Ireland politician passed away following a long period of illness. He was 83. Hume was one of the highest-profile politicians in Northern Ireland for more than 30 years. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in 1970 and led the party from 1979 until 2001.
Mr Hume took considerable risks for peace by holding talks with the then leader of Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams, as the IRA was still heavily involved in violence. The Hume-Adams talks helped laying foundation for the 1994 IRA ceasefire and later negotiations which resulted in the Good Friday Agreement.
Following the 1998 peace deal, Mr Hume was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, along with the then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, David Trimble. He was widely admired for his steadfast commitment to peaceful, democratic politics during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland.
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