"Difference is of the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect it. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace: respect for diversity."
About John Hume
John Hume — Life and Legacy
John Hume was a key figure in the Northern Ireland peace process and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, recognized for his commitment to resolving conflict through dialogue. His philosophy centered on the belief that true peace requires understanding and addressing the underlying causes of violence. Hume famously stated, 'The only way to deal with violence is to deal with the causes of violence,' which encapsulates his approach to conflict resolution. He challenged the notion of divisive nationalism by advocating for a shared identity among communities, emphasizing that 'politics is about the people.' Hume's insights into the necessity of cooperation and unity are evident in his assertion that 'we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.' His quotes continue to resonate, reminding us that peace is not merely an absence of conflict but a collective achievement that requires ongoing effort and commitment.
Quote collection
John Hume quotes (page 1 of 2)
28 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"My father was unemployed and I was the eldest of seven children. We were very poor. And when you ask how did we support ourselves, the only funding that we had was unemployment payments."
"In my opinion, what changed the situation eventually - and, of course, it took a lot of time to change it, things like that don't change in a week or a fortnight - was the new educational system."
"I never thought in terms of being a leader. I thought very simply in terms of helping people."
"If the word 'No' was removed from the English language, Ian Paisley would be speechless."
"The basis of peace and stability, in any society, has to be the fullest respect for the human rights of all its people."
"Total ghettoization, because they were in charge of public housing, the local council, and they deliberately located people in a ghetto situation in order to ensure that they maintained control."
"Before the arrival of the Credit Union, people who were from the poor background or a working class background couldn't borrow from banks."
"All conflict is about difference; whether the difference is race religion, or nationality."
"There were two mentalities, and both mentalities had to change. There was what I called the Afrikaner mind set of the Unionist politicians, which was holding all power in their own hands, and discriminating, and their objective was to protect their identity"
"In working class districts, you had several families living together in the one house, and it was very difficult to get a house, because the politicians who controlled housing were doing so in a very discriminatory fashion."
"I was grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. The political violence really started in 1970-1971. The political difficulties start a little bit beyond that."
"Difference is of the essence of humanity."
"They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their own interests, therefore the Irish had the right to use violence to put them out. My argument was that that type of thinking was out of date."
"The basic policy of the British Government was that since the majority of people in Northern Ireland wished to remain in the United Kingdom, that was that. We asked what would happen if the majority wanted something else, if the majority wanted to see Irish unity."
"I grew up in Derry, of course, and it was - Derry was the worst example of Northern Ireland's discrimination."
"In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of the people and that gave no victory to either side."
"When people are divided, the only solution is agreement."
"Like everybody at that age, I read an awful lot of pulp fiction. But at the same time, I also read quite a bit of history and read that as much for pleasure as part of a curriculum."
"Therefore they should come to the table and reach an agreement that would protect their identity."