embassy events 2009

President Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize

13 October 2009

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” 

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.”

Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to receive this distinguished honor. For the full text of his remarks, please click here.