By Oyintari Ben
On Saturday, Jimmy Carter, the oldest former US president still alive, turned 98.
According to a representative from The Carter Centre, Carter will celebrate his birthday quietly at home with his family. The former president’s birthday and legacy will be commemorated in a series of online activities hosted by The Carter Centre. Individuals are also invited to send him a virtual birthday message through his foundation.
After the departure of George H. W. Bush, who passed away in late 2018 at the age of 94, Carter became the oldest former US President in history. Due to the corona virus pandemic, he has maintained a low public profile in recent years.
However, he has continued to advocate for the longstanding issue of threats to democracy around the world.
Before entering politics, he worked as a peanut farmer and a lieutenant in the US Navy. He later served one term as Georgia’s governor and president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
People highly regard the former Democratic president for his dedication to human rights. His role in mediating the signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978 between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat remains crucial to his legacy.
To promote global peace and health after leaving office as the president, Carter and his wife Rosalynn formed The Carter Centre, a group dedicated to improving human rights. Over the years, the Carter Centre has fought to promote democracy by keeping track of elections held abroad and tackling sickness in underdeveloped nations. Carter has worked with Habitat for Humanity as a volunteer for a very long time.
For his efforts to promote peace all around the world, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
Carter overcame brain cancer in 2015, but in 2019 he experienced several health concerns, leading to surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. Despite his subsequent recovery due to health issues, he was compelled to discontinue his longstanding practice of instructing Sunday school classes at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.
In August, Rosalynn Carter turned 95 years old.
