Former President Jimmy Carter to Be Honored in State Funeral on January 9.

Washington :

Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 100, will be laid to rest with a state funeral at the Washington National Cathedral on January 9. This will be part of a national day of mourning for the longest-lived US president, as announced by the Carter family and the Carter Center.

Carter’s former vice president, Walter Mondale, had planned to deliver the eulogy, but following Mondale’s death in 2021, his son will now take on the responsibility. Public ceremonies will also take place in Atlanta, Georgia, before Carter is buried in his hometown of Plains, beside his wife, Rosalynn, who passed away in November 2023.

In accordance with tradition, Carter will lie in state in the US Capitol Rotunda, where Americans can pay their respects. President Joe Biden has declared that US flags will fly at half-staff for 30 days to honor Carter’s life, spanning from his death through the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Carter, who served from 1977 to 1981, is remembered for his leadership in promoting peace, human rights, and environmental causes. His crowning achievement as president was brokering the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Though his presidency was marked by economic challenges, Carter’s legacy grew stronger post-presidency. He dedicated his life to humanitarian work, founding the Carter Center to combat diseases, and continued to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity into his 90s.

President Biden, along with former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, praised Carter’s contributions and character, with Obama remembering him as “a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service.” Trump also offered his respect, calling Carter “a truly good man.”

Carter’s legacy will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to peace, service, and global humanitarian efforts.