President Jimmy Carter, 100, Recipient of Athenagoras Human Rights Award, Passes Away

President Jimmy Carter was honored as the recipient of the 1987 Athenagoras Human Rights Award.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States and recipient of the 1987 Athenagoras Human Rights Award, passed away on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100.

Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was president from 1977 to 1981, leaving a lasting legacy through his efforts in diplomacy, human rights, and international relations. Notably, he signed a strategic arms limitation agreement with the Soviet Union and facilitated the Camp David Accords, which brought peace between Egypt and Israel. The New York Times described him as someone who “cemented his legacy with a deeper engagement in public affairs than any other former president of modern times.”

President Carter was deeply committed to human rights, compassion, and Christian faith. In 1987, His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos and Dr. Anthony G. Borden, National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, presented him with the Athenagoras Human Rights Award. He was named an honorary Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the same ceremony.

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President Carter with His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew at the Phanar.

President Carter, a long-time supporter of the Greek Orthodox Church, shared a deep relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1978, he invited Archbishop Iakovos to join the U.S. Presidential delegation at the funeral of Pope John Paul I and, two years later, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1985, he visited Constantinople and worked toward reconstructing the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s headquarters, which had been destroyed by fire in 1941. The new building was completed in 1989.

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Archbishop Iakovos and members of the Order of Saint Andrew honored President Jimmy Carter in 1987 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York.

In 2002, President Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his tireless work for peace and humanitarian causes. The Prize recognized his efforts to resolve international conflicts, promote democracy, and advance human rights and economic development.

Upon passing, Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons, praised Carter as a “moral hero” who brought decency and dignity to international relations. He added, “His openness and humility regarding his Christian commitment were exemplary for us all, and his efforts to bring that decency into the political arena will be remembered with gratitude for centuries to come.”

The Athenagoras Human Rights Award, established in 1986, honours individuals and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to human rights and religious freedom. Previous recipients include notable figures such as Mother Teresa, Elie Wiesel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Presidents Joe Biden and George H.W. Bush.

President Carter’s profound influence on global peace, human rights, and diplomacy will be remembered for generations. May his memory be eternal.

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