“There can be no nobler, nor more ambitious task for America to undertake than to help shape a just and peaceful world that is truly humane.”
“I had two goals in life: one was to get every hostage back safe and free, and the other one was never to betray the principles of my nation.”
The Bill Richardson Heart of a Patriot Award is given each year to former government officials, who after leaving office, selflessly choose to use their leadership and resources in the pursuit of freeing Americans held abroad. President Jimmy Carter’s lifetime work and achievements exemplify the core values of the award.
In a capacity as a private citizen, President Carter’s commitment to justice extended across continents and causes: from his work to address the 1995 execution of nine environmental advocates in Nigeria, to his successful 2006 intervention with the President of Gambia over the arrest of human rights lawyer Mariam Denton, to his efforts to mediate the release of Israeli Sgt. Gilad Shalit after his 2006 capture by Hamas militants, President Carter’s tireless efforts to free hostages and political prisoners stand as a testament to his principled leadership and moral courage. In 2010, President Carter initiated dialogue with North Korea that ultimately enabled a U.S. State Department delegation to secure the release of American citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes—after formal diplomatic efforts had been rebuffed. President Carter’s legacy includes landmark achievements such as the Camp David Accords and the Guinea Worm Ceasefire.
“And like so many compassionate Americans, whether he was in office, or during his long life after the White House, President Jimmy Carter was a man of integrity, courage, and conviction.”
