And when those of lesser vision urged a lesser course, these leaders acted boldly. They committed themselves to finding the needle of peace in the haystack of violence, and they found it. These eight leaders committed themselves to ending 30 years of violence and bloodshed in Northern Ireland, reducing divisions between Unionists and Nationalists, and building bridges between these communities. By their signing of the historic Good Friday peace agreement last April launched a new era of peace and reconciliation for all the people of Northern Ireland. We are here to honor the eight political leaders of Northern Ireland and the extraordinary former United States Senator who helped make their achievement for peace possible. It’s a privilege, as well, to pay tribute to a very special person, who was present at the creation of the peace process in Northern Ireland and who did so much to make it possible, my sister, Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith. The following are excerpts from remarks made by Senator Kennedy and each of the recipients. Senator George Mitchell, chairman of the peace talks. The recipients of the Profile in Courage Award were Nobel Peace Prize laureate John Hume, Social Democratic and Labour Party Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein John Alderdice, Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Malachi Curran, Northern Ireland Labour Party David Ervine, Progressive Unionist Party Gary McMichael, Ulster Democratic Party Monica McWilliams, Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition Nobel Peace Prize laureate David Trimble, Ulster Unionist Party and former U.S. The presentation of the Profile in Courage Award to a non-American was unprecedented at the time. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award was presented to eight political leaders of Northern Ireland and the American chairman of the peace talks in recognition of the extraordinary political courage they demonstrated in negotiating the historic Good Friday Peace Agreement in April 1998.

Kennedy profiles in courage