International News

The U.N.’s World Food Program wins Nobel Peace Prize

FILE – In this Nov. 6, 2017 file photo, the U.N. World Food Program’s logo at the agency’s headquarters in New York. The World Food Program has won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe. The announcement was made Friday Oct. 9, 2020 in Oslo by Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Nobel Committee. (AP Photo/Robert Bumstead, File)

OSLO (AP) — The head of the U.N. World Food Program, David Beasley, has told The Associated Press that he was left speechless by the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to his organization.

“I think this is the first time in my life I’ve been without words. I was just so shocked and surprised,” Beasley said, speaking from Niger Friday, after the AP gave him the news.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

OSLO (AP) — The United Nations’ World Food Program on Friday won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe.

The announcement was made in Oslo by Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Nobel Committee.

The Nobel Committee said that the coronavirus pandemic has added to the hunger faced by millions of people around the world and called on governments to ensure that WFP and other aid organizations receive the financial support necessary to feed them.

“With this year’s award, the (Committee) wishes to turn the eyes of the world to the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger,” said Reiss-Andersen. “The World Food Program plays a key role in multilateral cooperation in making food security an instrument of peace.”

“The World Food Program contributes daily to advancing the fraternity of nations mentioned in Alfred Nobel’s will,” she said.

There was no shortage of causes or candidates on this year’s list, with 211 individuals and 107 organizations nominated ahead of the Feb. 1 deadline.

However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee maintains absolute secrecy about whom it favors for arguably the world’s most prestigious prize.

The award comes with a 10-milion krona ($1.1 million) cash prize and a gold medal to be handed out at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel’s death. This year’s ceremony will be scaled down due to the pandemic.

On Monday, the Nobel Committee awarded the prize for physiology and medicine for discovering the liver-ravaging hepatitis C virus. Tuesday’s prize for physics honored breakthroughs in understanding the mysteries of cosmic black holes, and the chemistry prize on Wednesday went to scientists behind a powerful gene-editing tool. The literature prize was awarded to American poet Louise Glück on Thursday for her “candid and uncompromising” work.

Still to come next week is the prize for outstanding work in the field of economics.

Copyright 2020 Associated Press

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-health-oslo-russia-b6ea1ba3f7c8daed96ad2734f11c61cb

Click to comment

You May Also Like

Business News

FILE – A group of Arab refugees walks along a road from Jerusalem to Lebanon, carrying their belongings with them on Nov. 9, 1948....

Business News

FILE – Demonstrators rally at the National Mall in Washington to protest against the Iranian regime, Oct. 22, 2022, following the death of Mahsa...

Business News

Afghan people walk pass the Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque during the first day of Eid al-Fitr in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, April 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Ebrahim...

Business News

Ukrainian servicemen who were wounded at the battlefield wait to leave the field hospital near Bakhmut, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)...

Copyright © 2023 Newsworthy News | Global | Political | Local | All News | Website By: Top Search SEO

Exit mobile version