Oslo — 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 committee said 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.
The Rome-based program was quick to tweet that, “This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand.”
“I think this is the first time in my life I’ve been without words,” WFP’s head David Beasley told The Associated Press from Niger. “I was just so shocked and surprised.”
Displaced Congolese civilians walk past a truck carrying food for distribution at Kibati, just outside the eastern Congolese city of Goma, on July 25, 2012.
Alissa Everett / REUTERS
Beasley said he found out about the award from a WFP media officer who had just been informed by the AP.
The organization provided assistance to almost 100 million people in 88 countries around the world last year.
It was created in 1962 at the request of President Eisenhower as an experiment to provide food aid through the U.N. system and only a few months later rushed to assist after an earthquake hit northern Iran, Agence France-Press notes. More than 12,000 people were killed. But the WFP sent survivors 1,500 metric tons of wheat, 270 tons of sugar and 27 tons of tea.
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.