The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to President Barack Obama Friday, October 9, making him the third sitting president to win this award.
“I am both surprised and deeply humbled at the decision of the Nobel Committee,” said Obama.
Obama is now among world leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev, who helped end the Cold War, and Nelson Mandela who was influential in ending apartheid.
“To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honored by this prize,” said Obama.
A question about whether Obama actually deserved the prize has caused controversy. Supporters of the Nobel Committee’s decision hope that this prize will influence his future decisions, but others remain unsure.
Obama was nominated for the prize only about twelve days into his presidency and received it “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
“The first thing to understand is that the prize is awarded by Europeans who like the rhetoric of President Obama, but President Obama is not going to make future foreign policy decisions based upon a prize,” said Howard Warren, Upper School History Teacher.
President Obama will be forced by political realities to make decisions that protect the interest of the American people, whether Europeans approve of them or not.
The Nobel Committee, based in Sweden, appreciated that Obama is currently not using a confrontational attitude towards the conflicts in the Middle East, as well as his efforts toward nuclear disarmament.
“By their own admission, the Nobel Committee said that this prize was less about accomplishment and more about potential: potential for a new global political climate,” said Warren.
The original purpose of the Nobel Peace Prize was to celebrate the person whose actions have done the most to create peace.
Obama received this award “as a call to action” and donated the prize money of $1.4 million to charity.
“Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations,” said Obama.