Northern Ireland

Nobel prize speech set out challenge to political leaders

John Hume and David Trimble were jointly awarded the Nobel peace prize in Oslo in 1998. Picture by Jon Eeg
John Hume and David Trimble were jointly awarded the Nobel peace prize in Oslo in 1998. Picture by Jon Eeg John Hume and David Trimble were jointly awarded the Nobel peace prize in Oslo in 1998. Picture by Jon Eeg

JOHN Hume laid out the challenge of the Good Friday Agreement to political leaders in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 1998.

Speaking in Oslo Town Hall, he said: “It is now up to political leaders on all sides to move decisively to fulfil the mandate given by the Irish people: to safeguard and cherish peace by establishing agreed structures for peace that will forever remove the underlying causes of violence and division on our island. There is now, in Ireland, a passionate sense of moving to new beginnings.”

Mr Hume was awarded the Nobel prize along with then Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble.

The then SDLP leader said the Good Friday Agreement opened a new future for the people of Ireland, built on respect for diversity and political difference.

He told how his work for peace was based on his European experience, where difference is embraced.

“All conflict is about difference, whether the difference is race, religion or nationality.

Read more:

  • Fionnuala O Connor: Few under 40 can even guess how impressive John Hume was
  • Seamus McKinney: History will place John Hume among the great Irish leaders
Ian Knox cartoon 4/8/20 
Ian Knox cartoon 4/8/20  Ian Knox cartoon 4/8/20 

"The European visionaries decided that difference is not a threat, difference is natural. Difference is of the essence of humanity.

"Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never by the source of hatred or conflict.

"The answer to difference is to respect it. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace – respect for diversity.

“The peoples of Europe then created institutions which respected their diversity – a Council of Ministers, the European Commission and the European Parliament – but allowed them to work together in their common and substantial economic interest.

"They spilt their sweat and not their blood and by doing so broke down the barriers of distrust of centuries and the new Europe has evolved and is still evolving, based on agreement and respect for difference."

His hope was that once the institutions were put in place to respect difference in Ireland, people could work together in their “substantial common interests”.

“The real healing process will begin and we will erode the distrust and prejudices of our past and our new society will evolve, based on agreement and respect for diversity.

"The identities of both sections of our people will be respected and there will be no victory for either side.”

Read more:

  • John Hume: In his own words
  • John Hume: In pictures
  • Hume loved Derry and it loved him

The Derry man drew inspiration from the poetry of Louis MacNiece.

“By a high star our course is set. Our end is life. Put out to sea," he said.

“That is the journey on which we in Ireland are now embarked."

And in completing his address, he took those present back to the streets of his 1960s Derry and the words of his hero, Martin Luther King junior.

“We shall overcome.”

Read more:

  • Family upbringing shaped John Hume's thinking 
  • Nobel peace prize placed John Hume in elite company 
  • Pressure of search for peace laid bare at Greysteel funerals