The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday announced that they had decided to divide the Nobel Peace Prize 2011 in three parts, and award it to : Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karma. (Updated)
In announcing the Prize, the head of the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Thorbjørn Jagland said the three had been awarded prize "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work".
Ellen Johnsen Sirleaf (72) is Liberia's president, and receives the Prize for her efforts to end the violent civil war in her country.
She said to NRK that she was speechless over the news that she had received the Peace Prize.
Leymah Roberta Gbowee (39), also from Liberia, was also active in the fight to stop the civil war.
The third laureate, Tawakkul Kaarman (32) from Yemen. She has been active in the ongoing uprising ih her homeland.
Norway's Prime Minster Jens Stoltenberg says this year's Peace prize is important, and a support for all who fight for democracy and freedom in the Arab world.
“I congratulate the three winners of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman. This is an important recognition of the role they have played in ensuring women’s safety and right to participate in peace-building work,” said the Norwegian Prime Minister.
The Nobel Peace Prize is an international prize which is awarded annually by the Norwegian Nobel Committee according to guidelines laid down in Alfred Nobel's will.
(NRK)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (photo)were present when the UN Security Council Chamber in New York was reopened after the renovation.
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Before he headed back to Germany after the Nobel Peace Prize celebrations, President of the EU, Martin Schulz requested a special visit to Utøya, the scene of the July 22nd massacre in Norway.
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During their stay for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, the EU leaders discussed the economic situation in Europe, at a working lunch hosted by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
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More than 20 EU heads of state and government leaders were present at the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony at the Oslo City Hall on Monday. Present were also King Harald and members of the Royal Family.
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The Norwegian police estimate that they will be spending between NOK 10 and 17 million on security precautions in connection with the Nobel Peace Prize festivities in Oslo this week.
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The Oslo police have imposed a ban on all non-commercial air traffic over the Norwegian capital during the Nobel Peace Prze celebrations next week. The air force will monitor the air space.
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Roughly two weeks before the Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded in Oslo, the police still do not know who will attend the ceremony, and what level of security they will require.
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Norway officially became a member of the Asia-Europe Meeting process during the opening ceremony of the 9th ASEM Summit in Vientiane, Laos on Monday. (Photo: Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg)
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Even though the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, over 70 per cent of Norwegians remain opposed to EU membership.
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In Norway, only one out of four is positive to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union, according to a poll made for Aftenposten by ResponsAnalyse .
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