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 as 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 has been Leader since 1979.

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 (re-elected 1983, 1987, 1992, and 1997).

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 he sits 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. He wrote the report on Regional Problems of Ireland (1987).

As Leader of the SDLP, he has led the Party in the New Ireland Forum Talks 1983, the Brooke Talks 1992, the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation 1994 and the recent 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).

This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and later published in the book series Les Prix Nobel/ Nobel Lectures/The Nobel Prizes. The information is sometimes updated with an addendum submitted by the Laureate.

John Hume died on 3 August 2020.