Breaking: Nobel Peace Prize goes to UN World Food Programme

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the WFP had acted “as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict”.

The prize is worth 10m Swedish krona ($1.1m).

The 101st winner of the prize was announced at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo.

A WFP spokesman said it was a “proud moment”.

The WFP estimates it helps about 97 million people a year, in 88 countries.

The Nobel Prize is one of the world’s most important awards.

It was started in accordance with the will of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, with the first award handed out in 1901.

Nobel Prizes are awarded in several categories to people “who have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind” in the previous 12 months.

The recipient of each Nobel Prize receives three things:

  • A Nobel diploma, each of which is a unique work of art
  • A Nobel medal
  • A cash prize of 9m Swedish krona (£786,000; $1m), which is split between winners when there is more than one. They have to deliver a lecture to receive the money

There have been some years when the prize has not been awarded – mostly during the two world wars.

Nobel Foundation rules state if nobody deserves the prize in a particular category, it is not awarded and its prize money is kept for the following year.

 

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