Posted by Adam

Friday October 9, 2009

Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his “extraordinary efforts” to build diplomacy and promote nuclear disarmament, the Nobel Committee said Friday.

There were a record 205 nominations for this year’s prize. Zimbabwe’s prime minister and a Chinese dissident had been among the favorites.

The committee highlighted Obama’s efforts to strengthen international bodies and promote nuclear disarmament.

“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,” the Norwegian committee said as the prize was announced.

“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.”

The American President — who has two children with his wife Michelle — will receive a a gold medal, a diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m).

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