Who was John Hume? Nobel Peace Prize winner dies at 83, lesser known facts

Former Irish politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume died on Monday at the age of 83, his family said in a statement. He passed away in the early hours of Monday at the Owen Mor nursing home in Londonderry, the BBC reported.

The former teacher and of the highest-profile politicians in Northern Ireland for more than 30 years, came to prominence during the Civil Rights Movement in 1968.

He was one of the founding members of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in 1970. He became leader of the party in 1979, a post which he relinquished in November 2001.

Hume, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, had been suffering from dementia for many years.

In a statement, his family said, "John was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather and a brother. He was very much loved, and his loss will be deeply felt by all his extended family."

Lesser known facts about John Hume

John Hume was born on January 18, 1937 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

In the autumn of 1998, John Hume was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Nobel Committee for being at the heart of the peace process in the civil-war-torn province.

John founded Derry-Boston Ventures and Boston-Ireland Ventures as part of the strategy to win new inward investment, marketing opportunities and trade/industry partnerships. He was co-leader of International Observer delegation – Philippino Presidential Elections (1995).

Take a look at the list of Awards and Honorary doctorates (as it appears on nobelprize.org) that John Hume had credited to his name during his lifetime. 

Awards

Irish "People of the Year" Award, 1984

American Federation of Teachers Human Rights Award, 1986

St. Thomas More Award, University of San Francisco, 1991

Irishman of the Year, 1992. Awarded by "Irish Abroad"

International League for Human Rights Award for Peace and Human Rights, 1994

Order of Thomas More, University of St. Louis, 1994

Pio Manzu Medal, November, 1994

Communicators of the Year Award (RNID), July 1995

European of the Year Award

President Roosevelt Award, May, 1996

International Human Rights Award, 21 May, 1996

Global Citizens Award, January, 1998

Sean Mc Bride Peace Award, October, 1998

Nobel Peace Prize, 10 December, 1998

Honorary doctorates

University of Massachusetts, 1985

Catholic University of America, 1986

St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, 1986

Tusculum College, Tennessee Presbyterian University of America, 1998

Dublin City University, 1994

Boston College, 1995

Suffolk University, 1995

University of Nice, France, November, 1995

University of Notre Dame, Indiana 25 April, 1996

University of St. Andrew, 20 June, 1996

University of College Galway, 24 June, 1996

University of Santa Clara, June, 1997

University of Missouri, January, 1998