The Members and Secretariat of Club de Madrid deeply regret the passing of our Honorary Member Jimmy Carter, and we value his legacy in favor of peace, human rights and the advancement of democracy, a work that is now more necessary than ever.
Carter served as the 39th President of the United States of America between 1977 and 1981, trying to make a “competent and compassionate” government and paying close attention to foreign affairs. The highlight of his presidential term was the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.
During his administration, important foreign policy achievements were reached, such as the Panama Canal treaties, the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.
He will be especially remembered for defending human rights around the world, which led to his being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. A prize that the Swedish academy decided to award him “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development”.
His work was not only limited to his years as president, but after leaving office he continued to be equally active in defending the causes he believed in. He wrote seventeen books and as leader of The Carter Center he mediated in conflicts such as Ethiopia and Eritrea (1989), Bosnia (1994) and Venezuela (2002-2003), in addition to sending forty-five electoral observation delegations to countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas.
The trajectory of a historical figure like Jimmy Carter is overwhelming and Club de Madrid has always been very proud to have him as one of its Honorary Members. Carter’s membership in our organization is just another example of his commitment to human rights and democracy that, like him, we defend every day.
Club de Madrid would like to send its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Jimmy Carter and extend them to all the American people, who have undoubtedly lost an incomparable figure who dedicated his life to peace, democracy and human rights.
