John Hume
John Hume is married to Pat and they have three daughters and two
sons.
He was a leader of the non-violent Civil Rights Movement in 1968
to 1969 having established a record of community leadership through
his founding role in Derry Credit Union, Derry Housing Association
and his organisation of the "University for Derry" campaign.
He was elected an Independent to the Stormont Parliament in February
1969 for the Foyle Constituency. His manifesto committed him to
forming a political party on the European social democratic model.
He did this with five other Stormont MPs and one Senator in August
1970. From its formation until 1979 he was the SDLP's Deputy Leader
and was Leader from 1979 to 2001.
John's elective career has included membership of the Northern
Ireland Assembly in 1973 to 1974, the Constitutional Convention
in 1975, election to the European Parliament in 1979 to 2004. First
elected to Westminster 1983.
A key advocate of partnership, he played a major role in negotiating
the Sunningdale Agreement. In the resulting Power-Sharing Executive
of 1974, he served as Minister of Commerce.
In the period 1977 to 1979, John served as a Special Adviser to
EC Commissioner Richard Burke.
As MEP John sat on the Front Bench of the Socialist Group which
is the largest Group in the European Parliament. John has served
on the Committee for Regional Planning and Regional Policy since
1979 to 2004. He wrote the report on Regional Problems of Ireland
(1987).
As Leader of the SDLP, he led the Party in the New Ireland Forum
Talks 1983, the Brooke Talks 1992, the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation
1994 and the All Party Talks, which led to the Good Friday Agreement.
John Hume began talks with Gerry Adams with the stated objective
of bringing an end to violence followed by All Party Talks, the
objective of which was agreement that had to have the allegiance
of both traditions.
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).
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