UN's World Food Programme Accepts Nobel Peace Prize in Rome

The World Food Programme (WFP) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in a ceremony at their headquarters in Rome, Italy, on December 10.

“This Nobel Peace Prize is more than a thank-you. It is a call to action," said WFP Executive Director David Beasley in his acceptance speech. "Because of so many wars, climate change, the widespread use of hunger as a political and military weapon, and a global health pandemic that makes all of that exponentially worse —270 million people are marching toward starvation. Failure to address their needs will cause a hunger pandemic which will dwarf the impact of COVID.

“I don’t go to bed at night thinking about the children we save, I go to bed weeping over the children we could not save. And when we don’t have enough money, nor the access we need, we have to decide which children eat and which children do not eat. Which children live, which children die. How would you like that job?” Beasley said.

Beasley said the world is facing an “unprecedented number of famines” and predicted 2021 would be “catastrophic,” but said winning the Nobel prize would help boost awareness and assist fundraising for the World Food Programme. Credit: WFP via Storyful