Shimon Peres, lifelong statesman, Nobel Laureate, and 9th President of the State of Israel, passed away in Tel Aviv on September 28, 2016 at the age of 93. Peres, born in Wiszniew, Poland (now Belarus) in 1923, was an integral figure in the politics of the region for decades. He came to Israel in 1934 and quickly rose up the political ranks - becoming a leader of the Labor Party, then Israel's Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and ultimately Prime Minister in the 1970s and 80s. Peres held on to the title of acting president following his 1996 election. He returned to the Prime Minister's office in 1995 following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Peres brokered the Oslo Accords - a landmark peace treaty with the Palestinians and their leader Yasser Arafat. For his efforts he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Rabin and Arafat. Peres later served as the 9th President of Israel from 2007 to 2014 - the oldest person ever to hold the office. Peres was also highly honoured abroad, receiving numerous decorations from several countries including the Legion d'honneur from France. He is remembered for his relentless pursuit of peace and his commitment to the survival and security of the state of Israel.