Houston, Jan 5 (NationPress) State funeral services commemorating the 39th US President Jimmy Carter took place in his hometown of Plains in Georgia, where the esteemed leader passed away at the age of 100 on December 29.
On Saturday, hundreds of mourners gathered along the streets as Carter's motorcade departed for Atlanta, the capital city of his home state, situated approximately 260 km away. Floral tributes were placed at the base of the Carter monument in downtown Plains, and park rangers tolled a farm bell 39 times at his Boyhood Farm during the motorcade's stop.
The atmosphere in the rural town, where Carter spent the majority of his life, was described as not one of sadness or mourning, but rather a profound sense of gratitude for all that the peanut farmer-turned-commander in chief achieved during his century-long life, as reported by Xinhua news agency, citing The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“It’s incredible what one can accomplish in a hundred years,” remarked grandson Jason Carter, chair of the Carter Presidential Center's board, at a ceremony held in the non-profit organization, which houses the Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, after the motorcade’s arrival.
“His spirit fills this place,” Jason Carter expressed to the audience, which included many employees of the Carter Center. “You continue the vibrant living legacy of what is my grandfather’s life work.”
During his presidency from 1977 to 1981, Carter was instrumental in signing the Panama Canal Treaties which restored Panama’s full jurisdiction over the Panama Canal Zone starting in 2000, ensuring its neutrality. He also played a key role in the historic Camp David Accords, a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel in 1978.
“President Carter's leadership greatly contributed to international peace and security,” stated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following the former President's passing. “His legacy as a peacemaker, advocate for human rights, and humanitarian will endure.”
Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Centre in Atlanta until Tuesday, after which the funeral procession will continue to Washington, DC, where he will lie in state in the US Capitol for a duration of a day and a half.
A state funeral is planned for Thursday morning at Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy. Subsequently, Carter will be laid to rest in his hometown alongside his wife Rosalynn, who passed away in 2023 after 77 years of marriage.
