Historical Peace Prize laureates: John Hume and David Trimble, 1998

Welcome to a conversation about The Power of Dialogue in Northern Ireland's Peace Journey. This will be a dialogue between Mr. Mark Durkan, who was part of the negotiating team for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, and the Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Olav Njølstad. The conversation is moderated by Kjersti Fløgstad, Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Center.

In 1998, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to John Hume and David Trimble in recognition of their brave leadership in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Northern Ireland. Twenty-five years on from the awarding of the prize in Oslo and twenty-six from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, we remember the pivotal roles of John Hume and David Trimble in building the Agreement and transforming life on the island of Ireland. Join us to discuss the importance of dialogue in peace-building, the legacy of their determination, and leadership in Northern Ireland’s peace journey.

Speakers:

Mr Mark Durkan: Mr Durkan was an aide to John Hume from 1984-1998 and was involved in several peace talks prior to 1998. He was a key member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party’s (SDLP) negotiating team for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which was led by John Hume. Later he was elected as Member of the Local Assembly in 1998 and was appointed the Minister of Finance and Personnel from 1999-2001. He then went on to serve jointly as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland with David Trimble as the First Minister in 2001, both working on a number of initiatives to advance the working of the Agreement. He was later elected as a Member of Parliament in Westminster for the Foyle constituency from 2005-2017, the seat which was previously held by John Hume. Mr Durkan succeeded John Hume as leader of the SDLP from 2001 to 2010.

Mr Olav Njølstad: Olav Njølstad is Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. He is also an Adjunct Professor of international history at the University of Oslo. He has published extensively on topics such as the Cold War, the Second World War, the nuclear arms race, and the post-war history of Norway. In addition, Njølstad has authored two biographies, and is currently working on a biography of former Norwegian Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland.