Dalai Lama mourns death of Nobel laureate John Hume

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Tuesday expressed condolences on the demise of Northern Irish politician and fellow Nobel laureate John Hume.

Hume, who died on Monday at the age 83, following a long period of illness won a Nobel Peace Prize for fashioning the agreement that ended violence in his native Northern Ireland.

In his condolence message to Hume’s wife, the Dalai Lama wrote: “I was pleased to be able to meet your husband during one of my several visits to Northern Ireland. His deep conviction in the power of dialogue and negotiations to resolve conflict was unwavering.”

“It was his leadership and his faith in the power of negotiations that enabled the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to be reached. His steady persistence set an example for all of us to follow,” he said.

Hume's dedication to peace and non-violence in the resolution of conflict, no matter how protracted or difficult it may seem to be, will long survive him and noted that he had lived a meaningful life, the spiritual leader said.