For his “Extraordinary Efforts to Strengthen International Diplomacy and Cooperation between Peoples,” President Obama Receives the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

10 December 2009

President Obama Receives the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

On December 10th President Obama received his Nobel Peace Prize in a formal ceremony in Oslo, Norway. President Obama is the 97th individual (along with 23 organizations) to receive this distinguished award.  In his Nobel Lecture, Obama remarked, “Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.” He acknowledged Polish contributions to world peace, saying “Pope John Paul’s engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited his outreach to the Muslim world and his attempts to curb nuclear proliferation, saying “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future.  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.

“Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics.  Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play.”

The formal Nobel Peace Prize ceremony took place in the landmark Oslo City Hall before a distinguished audience of political and cultural leaders, including the Norwegian royal family.

The head of the Nobel committee presented the gold medal and diploma, after which Obama delivered what is known as the “Nobel lecture.”

The 16th annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert honoring the newest laureate, Obama, will take place the following evening, hosted by Hollywood actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

“It is of course more challenging this year because the laureate is the sitting American president, and we have to schedule according to that,” said concert producer Odd Arvid Stromstad.

Among the stars scheduled to perform at the Nobel gala are Haitian-born musician and rapper Wyclef Jean, Puerto Rican composer and singer Luis Fonsi, “Queen of Disco” Donna Summer, country music star Toby Keith, musical duo Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia from Mali and Norwegian musician Alexander Rybak, born in Belarus.

For more information, see the Web sites of the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Foundation.