[Brussels, 12 October 2012] The European Union has today been awarded the most prestigious international prize for contributions to world peace, the Nobel Peace Prize. The award was given in recognition of the EU’s role in bringing democracy to a war-ravaged continent and in reconciling France and Germany. At the award ceremony in Oslo, Thorbjørn Jagland, head of the Oslo-based Nobel Committee, said that the award was a reminder to Europe not to throw away the fruits of 60 years of integration as social unrest increases because of the current crisis.
“We want to focus on what has been achieved in Europe in terms of peace and reconciliation…It is a message to Europe to secure what they have achieved … and not let the continent go into disintegration again because it means the emergence of extremism and nationalism,” Mr Jagland said.
Last year’s peace prize was awarded to three women from Africa and the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring. The EWL hopes that the EU will take note of its fellow prize winners and ensure the promotion of women’s rights and gender equality is central to its mission to promote peace and prosperity for all Europeans.
