At a time when the union is faced with the biggest economic crisis since its creation in the 1950s, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize to European Union for its role in uniting the continent. The award is seen as a morale boost for the bloc to overcome the current financial crisis.
"The union and its core members have for over 6 decades contributed to the advancement of peace, reconciliation democracy and human rights in Europe," committee Chairman Thorbjoern Jagland told reporters in Oslo.
He said the Union has been instrumental in transforming Europe from a continent of wars to a continent of peace. The committee said the Nobel Peace Prize is a reminder of the fact that what would be lost if the European Union falls and said, "this is a message to Europe to do everything they can to secure what they've achieved and move forward."
The committee hailed the peaceful reconciliation of countries after the World War II and the union's efforts to spread democracy and human rights through Europe.
"In the inter-war years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made several awards to persons who were seeking reconciliation between Germany and France. Since 1945, that reconciliation has become a reality," the committee said in a statement.
The European Union was chosen as the winner from 231 different nominations out of which 43 were for organizations and the rest for individuals. EU has been nominated many times in the past for the peace prize, but never won as it has always remained politically controversial. The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to grant it the prize this time despite the anticipated angry reactions that have already began pouring in from different corners of the world.
