Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
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By Richard James. |  |
Friday, 09, Oct 2009 04:50
By Richard James.
US president Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, it was announced today.
The Nobel committee claimed Mr Obama was being awarded the prestigious prize for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples"
The news came on Friday as a total shock with critics already questioning the decision to honour the US president after less than a year in office.
The committee said Mr Obama's attempted to improve the international climate and strengthen organisation such as the United Nations had earned him the award.
In handing him the peace prize, it was hoped it would help enhance what he was attempting to achieve on the international scene, the committee said.
Mr Obama's work in trying to bring to an end nuclear arms, improve international dialogue and address the challenges of climate change were all praised.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as [Mr] Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said.
"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
Giving a statement outside the White House later on Friday, Mr Obama said he was "surprised and deeply humbled" by the award.
He added he felt he did not truly deserve the prestigious prize, but instead claimed he saw it as a call for action.
The US president said he would share the award with "everyone who strives for justice and dignity".