The lens of “The Carter Presidency: Lessons for the 21st Century” conference provided a means to examine Jimmy Carter’s presidency at just the right distance, when the shift from journalism to history begins.

Presidential historian and conference guest Michael Beschloss claims that history needs 25 years before it can sort out the effects of an administration. And the conference, which ended 25 years to the day after Carter left office, hit that mark.

“I think to some extent this conference reflected a few of the qualities of the Carter administration,” said John Maltese, conference director. “I thought of openness, accessibility and diversity. And I think that, in a sense, we’ve been able to reflect some of those things in this conference.”

In three days former officials, journalists and historians dissected the workings of Carter’s policies at home and overseas, offering a new way to see his presidency: a success obscured by a bitter fourth year.

Panelists from both political parties met and talked openly about Carter’s legacy, sometimes disagreeing on the legacy of the Carter administration and what it can teach current politicians, but always in a respectful tone.

“If there’s a lesson that comes out of this conference, I hope it is that we can one day return to an age when people can have differences of opinion and talk to each other instead of just shouting at each other,” Maltese said.

The passions Carter carried into the White House are still burning, and that progress can be seen through the Carter Center. These efforts also provide challenges and lessons, said UGA President Michael F. Adams.

“I come away from this conference convinced that the divide that exists in this country and in the world between the rich and the poor, which has been highlighted in almost every session, may be the most challenging issue of this century,” said Adams at the Jan. 21 session “Summing Up: The Carter Legacy and Post-Presidency.”

“With the various challenges the Carters have presented to us, I want you, particularly those of you who are students, to see this one clearly,” he said. “It’s one of our great challenges.”

Carter’s final address at the conference was a call for peace and negotiation, two hallmarks of his tenure.

“This is the greatest nation on Earth. We can be received by all leaders and all citizens with open arms. And they are so hungry for the fire, light and leadership of this great nation. They want the simple things that every American would agree on: They want their children to be educated and they want their babies to survive, they want some help if they have a disease,” he said.

“I think we can be on the threshold of a new greatness. We are the greatest nation on Earth, and I’m very grateful for the people who let me be governor and president and let me play a role in that.”