Northern Ireland was affected by inter-community violence for several decades, known as the ‘Troubles’. The ‘Good Friday Agreement’ or Belfast Agreement of 1998 set a path towards peace, where the British and Irish governments and society north and south overwhelmingly agreed upon a power-sharing arrangement that would put an end to violence and segregation.

Following the signing of the ‘Good Friday Agreement’, the European Union has played an increased role in supporting the peace process in Northern Ireland. This support has taken two main forms. Firstly, the European Union forms the general political framework for relations between the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Secondly, the European Union’s cohesion policy has given special attention to Northern Ireland over the years in order to support economic and social development in the context of the peace process.

In 1998, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to John Hume (PES, UK) and to David Trimble who are the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process.

John Hume (1937-2020)

Inauguration of the bust of John HUME, Irish politician from Northern Ireland, former EP Member, in presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Micheal MARTIN, Irish Prime Minister

Wayne DAVID, David Robert BOWE, Peter CRAMPTON, John HUME, Kenneth COLLINS, Alex SMITH

The Commissioner in charge of Regional Policy meets with MEPS at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in January 1989

Ian R.K. PAISLEY, John HUME, James NICHOLSON.

Exhibition of a  landscape and figure painter Tom CARR

Lunch with ex Rugby Player Tony O'REILLY at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in May 1989

The MEPs John HUME, Clive John NEEDLE in Strasbourg in November 1994.

Klaus HANSCH EP President meets with John HUME

Portrait of Mep at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Portrait of Mep John HUME at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Enrico FERRI, Ove FICH, Michel ROCARD, Heinz FISCHER, John HUME, Rudolf SCHARPING, Dick SPRING, Felipe GONZALEZ, Willy CLAES, Ben FAYOT,  Jacques POOS, Jean Pierre COT, Mario DIDO

EP photo

Portrait of MEP John HUME

Catherine TRAUTMANN, John HUME, Klaus HANSCH - EP President

Press conference by John HUME.

Meeting of the Politics Committee in Dublin

John HUME at the EP in Strasbourg.

Pat COX EP President, John HUME, Martin MORGAN

Pat COX - EP President meets with Martin MORGAN, Mayor of Belfast

MEP John HUME meets with Neil KINNOCK and Martin MORGAN, Mayor of Belfast

MEP John HUME meets with MEP Gary TITLEY

Michael CASHMAN, John HUME, Linda McAVAN, Arlene McCARTHY, Richard CORBETT

Meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg to draw attention on the situation in Kashmir

Etienne DAVIGNON, Henry SCHERMERS, Viviane REDING, John HUME

Meeting:  Assessing the achievements of European integration

European Parliament President Metsola, European Council President Michel and Commission President von der Leyen commemorate the signing of the 1998 Agreement during a ceremony. This clip broadcast during the event trace the history of the peace process in Northern Ireland. The GFA, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was signed on 10 April 1998 by the British and Irish governments, and confirmed by referendums in Ireland and Northern Ireland in May the same year. The agreement established devolved political power-sharing structures for the nationalist and unionist communities in Northern Ireland, and brought the 30-year period of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, known as The Troubles, to an end. Rights are only granted for the editorial coverage related to the Commemoration of the GFA organized by the European Parliament, no other use is authorized for the media and other institutions. This video may not be edited and must be shown in its entirety.

Clip: 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement - Reconciliation brought peace

This memoclip shows the period of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the reconciliation period between Dublin and Belfast which has ended up with the peace signed in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The memoclip also includes extracts of speeches by relevant political figures (such as John HUME, David TRIMBLE, Mo MOWLAM, David ANDREWS) who contributed, with the members of the European Parliament, to reach the peace.

Memoclip: The European Parliament and the Good Friday Agreement

This memoclip highlights John HUME's career in the European Parliament.

Memoclip: John HUME, Irish politician from Northern Ireland, former EP Member

Micheál MARTIN, Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) is invited to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, for the inauguration of the bust of John HUME, Irish politician from Northern Ireland, former EP member. Roberta METSOLA, EP President, participates to the inauguration.

Inauguration of the bust of John HUME, Irish politician from Northern Ireland, former EP Member: in the presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Micheál MARTIN, Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach)

This Memoclip illustrates Nobel Peace Prize awardees in the EP: Willy BRANDT, Mohamed Anwar Al-SADAT, Lech WALESA, Desmond TUTU, Oscar ARIAS SANCHEZ, The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, Mikhail GORBACHEV, Aung San Suu Kyi, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nelson MANDELA, Yasser ARAFAT, Yitzhak RABIN, José RAMOS-HORTA, Jody WILLIAMS, John HUME, Kim Dae-jung, Kofie ANNAN, Shirin EBADI, Rajendra PACHAURI, Martti AHTISAARI, Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF, the EUROPEAN UNION, Kailash SATYARTHI, Malala YOUSAFZAI, Juan Manuel SANTOS, Denis MUKWEGE, Nadia MURAD and David BEASLEY

Memoclip: The EP meeting place for the Nobel Peace Prize awardees (updated version 2020)

Over the past 40 years the European Parliament has had the honour of welcoming several Nobel Peace Prize laureates such as: Willy BRANDT, Mohamed Anwar Al-SADAT, Lech WALESA, Desmond TUTU, Mikhail GORBACHEV, Nelson MANDELA, Yasser ARAFAT, Yitzhak RABIN, John HUME, Kofie ANNAN, Shirin EBADI, Malala YOUSAFZAI, Denis MUKWEGE and Nadia MURAD

EP rewind: Nobel Peace Prize laureates at the EP

John Hume, former MEP, and David Trimble, former Leader of Northern Ireland's Ulster Unionist Party, give an interview. In 1998, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to John Hume (PES, UK) and David Trimble considered to be the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process.

Interview by John HUME and David TRIMBLE, Nobel Peace Prize Laureates 1998

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, the European Parliament organises a extraordinary plenary session in Brussels. Thirteen Europeans who have been honoured with the Nobel Prize are at the European Parliament. They take part in a discussion on the past, present and future of the European Union. Taking place on Europe Day, the objective is to focus on the scientific, intellectual and cultural achievements of Europeans since 1957.

Address by John HUME and David TRIMBLE, joint laureates of the Nobel Peace Prize 1998

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, an extraordinary plenary session is held in the European Parliament during the Europe Day, in Brussels. To mark this anniversary, a group of European Nobel Prize winners is invited to take part in a debate on the past, present and future of the EU, focusing on its scientific, intellectual and cultural achievements. Among the participants: Rita LEVI-MONTALCINI, Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1986, Timothy HUNT, Noble Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001, Reinhard SELTEN, Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994, Carlo RUBBIA, Nobel Prize for Physics in 1984, Martinus VELTMAN, Nobel Prize for physics in 1999, John HUME (MEP between 1999 and 2004), Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, Mairead CORRIGAN MAGUIRE, Nobel Peace Prize in 1976, Elisabeth WILLIAMS, Nobel Peace Prize in 1976, and Lech WALESA, Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. The ceremony ends with the playing of the European Hymn - Ode to Joy.

50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome - Address by European Nobel Prize laureates: arrivals and extracts from the extraordinary plenary session

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, a group of European Nobel Prize winners is invited in the European Parliament in Brussels. Rita LEVI-MONTALCINI, Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1986, Reinhard SELTEN, Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994, Martinus VELTMAN, Nobel Prize for physics in 1999, David TRIMBLE, Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 (former Leader of Northern Ireland's Ulster Unionist Party), John HUME (MEP between 1999 and 2004), Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, Elisabeth WILLIAMS, Nobel Peace Prize in 1976, and Paul CRUTZEN, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1995, give an interview in this framework. Extracts.

50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome - Interview of European Nobel Prize Laureates: extracts

John HUME makes a statement during the plenary session in Strasbourg after the announcement by the Nobel Committee that he will receive the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize. During Easter in 1998, the biggest political parties in Northern Ireland signed a peace agreement, which later became know as the Good Friday agreement. In the autumn of 1998, the Nobel Committee decided to award the Peace Prize to John HUME, who is one of the architects of the peace process in the civil war-torn province.

Statement by John HUME (PES, UK) nominated for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize

John HUME makes a statement during the plenary session in Strasbourg on Northern Ireland. John HUME is one of the architects of the peace process in the civil-war-torn province.

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