To honor the life, legacy, and leadership of President Carter, CUSEF traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the funeral of the 39th President of the United States and Co-Founder, with the late Mrs. Rosalynn Carter, of The Carter Center.

We were represented by CUSEF President James Chau, who was invited by the Carter family and The Carter Center, both of whom have a long relationship with The Honorable Tung Chee-hwa, our Founder and Chairman Emeritus.

Mr. Chau knew President Carter initially through their engagement in public health, specifically neglected tropical diseases, and interviewed him on a number of occasions, most recently in Atlanta in 2019. He has also visited the former American leader in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Mr. Chau was asked to pay his respects at the casket of President Carter, as he lay in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 8. He also attended the state funeral at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, where eulogies were led by Mr. Jason Carter, President Joe Biden, and Ambassador Andrew Young.

“It was the honor of a lifetime to be able to say farewell on behalf of CUSEF to President Jimmy Carter, who in normalizing relations with China changed the course of modern history,” said Mr. Chau after the funeral in Washington, D.C.

“His achievement, with Chinese leader Mr. Deng Xiaoping, is responsible for the era of prosperity and peace that followed. Now, as we face a future without him, and at a fragile moment for global peace, CUSEF and The Carter Center will accelerate their partnership to materialize the dreams he had for humanity.”

You can read more reflections from Washington. D.C. at this link.