C.M. Sennott

Charles M. Sennott, the Executive Editor and Vice President of GlobalPost, is an award-winning journalist and author with a distinguished career in international reporting for both print and...

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August 26, 2009 08:52 ET | Updated: August 26, 2009 09:21 ET

The world remembers Sen. Kennedy

BOSTON — Sentator Edward M. Kennedy’s death has touched every corner of the world. He is being remembered by leaders in the halls of power and by people in city slums and rural villages whose lives were empowered and improved by the Kennedy family’s ideas and dreams and its great hope as articulated by the senator and his brothers, John and Robert, that America could be a light to the world. An outstanding multimedia rememberance of Kennedy's life and his legacy can be found at The Boston Globe. Here is a sampling of some statements about Senator Kennedy and his life from around the world.

U.S. President Barack Obama
"Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. ... I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the presidency ... I've profited as president from his encouragement and wisdom. ... An important chapter in our history has come to an end."

U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown
"Edward Kennedy will be mourned not just in America but in every continent. He is admired around the world as the Senator of Senators. ... He led the world in championing children's education and health care and believed that every single child should have the chance to realize their potential to the full."

Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair
"Senator Kennedy was a figure who inspired admiration, respect and devotion, not just in America but around the world. He was a true public servant committed to the values of fairness, justice and opportunity. ... I saw his focus and determination first hand in Northern Ireland where his passionate commitment was matched with a practical understanding of what needed to be done to bring about peace and to sustain it. I was delighted he could join us in Belfast the day devolved government was restored. ... My thoughts and prayers today are with all his family and friends as they reflect on the loss of a great and good man."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
"Senator Kennedy has been a friend for 30 years, a great American patriot, a great champion of a better world, a great friend of Israel. ... He will be sorely missed."

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen
"Throughout his long and distinguished career in politics, Ted Kennedy has been a great friend of Ireland. He has used his considerable influence in the world's most powerful parliament for the betterment of this island. In good days and bad, Ted Kennedy worked valiantly for the cause of peace ... He played a particularly important role in the formative days of the Northern Ireland peace process in the 1990s. He has also been a strong advocate of US investment in Ireland. America has lost a great and respected statesman and Ireland has lost a longstanding and true friend."

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness
"Edward Kennedy was an opponent of conflict and he was someone who was very forthright in all of his views. And that is something that I always respected. He was someone who was hugely important in contributing, for example, to advising President Clinton at a time when President Clinton was being advised by a very powerful body in the State Department not to give a visa to Gerry Adams. Senator Kennedy's advice was to the contrary. Whatever his views on Irish Republicanism and the conflict and on the IRA prior to 1994, he certainly was hugely supportive."

John Hume, Northern Ireland politician
"He had enormous input ... He was in regular contact about the situation in Northern Ireland. He had a great influence encouraging the British government to work together with the Irish government to solve the Northern Ireland problem together."

Nelson Mandela Foundation
"We mourn, with his family, and the United States of America, the loss of a champion of democracy and civil rights. His made his voice heard in the struggle against apartheid at a time when the freedom struggle was not widely supported in the West. We remain grateful for his role."

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Posted by INEVITABLY on September 9, 2009 10:10 ET

How very funny to see when the world leaders friends, foes, and admirers are mourning the death of Senator Ted Kennedy and even the common public, an uncouth Republican Presidential candidate made a stupid comment on the death. It was height of indecency also in the world of civilization that too from an individual from USA from Bush+Cheney's Party.