Hunger is a global issue that has only been intensified by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, so have the efforts of the World Food Programme – this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner!
For nearly six decades, the United Nations agency has been feeding millions of people who are affected by war, natural disasters, and now COVID-19.
In 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower asked the U.N. to create the organization as an experiment in providing food aid.
Since then, it has become the world’s largest humanitarian group, delivering more than 15 billion rations to communities in need per year. In 2019 alone, it brought food to almost 100 million people!
WFP believes that to achieve peace, hunger must be stamped out first. That’s what made it the perfect choice for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize!
The Norweigian Nobel Committee selected the agency “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas, and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”
BREAKING NEWS:
– The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 9, 2020
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize to the World Food Programme (WFP).#NobelPrize #NobelPeacePrize pic.twitter.com/fjnKfXjE3E
In addition to recognizing the agency’s efforts, especially in the midst of rising conflicts due to the pandemic, the committee hopes to spread awareness and bring in more financial support, as the initiative is funded by donations.
“The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in the number of victims of hunger in the world. In the face of the pandemic, the World Food Programme has demonstrated an impressive ability to intensify its effort,” said Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee. “As the organization itself has stated: until the day we have a vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos.”
While everyone at WFP is grateful, they made sure to highlight the real heroes – the staff members and volunteers who are putting food in the hands of hungry children and families.
WFP is deeply humbled to receive the 2020 #NobelPeacePrize.
– World Food Programme (@WFP) October 9, 2020
This is in recognition of the work of WFP staff who put their lives on the line every day to bring food and assistance to more than 100 million hungry children, women and men across the world. pic.twitter.com/cjHOtqLcLk
What a well-earned honor! Congratulations, WFP, and thank you to everyone involved for working so hard to end hunger around the world!
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