Northern Ireland

John Hume always believed his peace awards were for the people as family donates accolades to Derry

Pat Hume and her family have donated the three world peace awards presented to her husband, John to the people of Derry. Picture by Lorcan Doherty
Pat Hume and her family have donated the three world peace awards presented to her husband, John to the people of Derry. Picture by Lorcan Doherty Pat Hume and her family have donated the three world peace awards presented to her husband, John to the people of Derry. Picture by Lorcan Doherty

JOHN Hume always believed the three world peace awards presented to him should be shared with the people of Derry, his daughter said yesterday.

Professor Mo Hume was speaking as the family presented his Nobel, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Martin Luther King peace awards to the people of his native city.

The three awards are to be placed on permanent display in Derry.

The former SDLP leader, who died last August at the age of 83, is the only person to have received with all three awards.

He was presented with the accolades for his life-long work for peace, culminating in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Hume’s wife, Pat was joined by their son John, daughter Mo and grandchildren at Derry’s Guildhall yesterday where they presented the three awards to city mayor Brian Tierney.

Professor Hume said she had no doubt that her father would believe the donation was “the only right thing to do”.

“It may sound cliched but he didn’t see these as special awards so it’s only right. For us as a family, people have asked if this was a difficult decision; it wasn’t a decision at all, it was just what we were always going to do. It was the right thing to do.

“My mum in particular felt very strongly about this,” Professor Hume said.

Earlier her brother John said the family was more than happy to donate the three awards to the city.

“When dad was awarded these great prizes, he always said that they were very much an award for everyone, for all those who struggle for peace in Ireland, North and South and today is about giving them back to Derry and Strabane council.

“Dad, as everyone knows, was a very proud Derry man. He was very proud of the city so I think it’s great that hopefully these awards will be on display here and hopefully will be an inspiration for generations to come,” he said.

Mr Hume said his family had been overwhelmed by the support and messages they have received since his father’s death.