Clinton To Honour Hume During L'Derry Visit

Former US President Bill Clinton has honoured Nobel Laureate and former SDLP leader John Hume during a visit to L'Derry.

Mr Clinton walked with the Nobel Laureate and prominent politican across L'Derry's Peace Bridge this morning, before making a speech in the city centre, where he honoured Mr Hume.

John Hume rose as a prominent nationalist politician in the 1970s and was the founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). He is considered one of the leading figures in Northern Ireland politics as a result of his work in brokering an IRA ceasefire and in working to facilitate talks between unionists and nationalists, loyalists and republicans. He met Mr Clinton this morning in his hometown of L'Derry.

The former US President is visiting the city to launch a new book on peacemaking on behalf of the University of Ulster.

He is set to meet the First and deputy First Minister Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness later at Stormont Castle.

Mr Clinton will then travel to Belfast for the official opening of the new William J Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen's University.

Queen’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Patrick Johnston said: "This is a historic occasion for Queen’s University Belfast. It is also a proud moment for me as I begin my tenure as Vice-Chancellor and it is a landmark event in the life of Northern Ireland.

"We are honoured that President Clinton has given his name to our Leadership Institute and we are delighted that he has joined us in person to set the seal on that partnership."

Mr Clinton has a long relationship with Northern Ireland, having made the Peace Process a key tenure of his presidency.

His last trip to Northern Ireland was in 2010 when he outlined his ideas for building economic prosperity during a visit to L'Derry.

(IT)