The 5 membered committee in Oslo, headed by Thorbjoem Jagland had all unanimously chosen European Union, with all the 27 nations, for the Nobel Peace Prize award. The award is a morale booster for the union which now suffers greatly from the economic crunch in the continent.
The award was announced on Friday after assessing the role of EU in the unision of the continent and bringing peace to the war torn lands. EU has transformed European nations, the nations that had been the centre for two World Wars into the continent of peace.
"This is a message to Europe to do everything they can to secure what they've achieved and move forward," Jagland said, saying it was a reminder of what would be lost "if the union is allowed to collapse".
The EU has been fundamental in rebuilding the continent and also stabilizing the countries after 1989's fall of the Berlin Wall.
The prize, worth $1.2 million, will be presented in Oslo on Dec. 10.
The EU was chosen from a field of 231 nominees for the award which included Russian dissidents and several religious workers striving for Muslim-Christian reconciliation.
(AW- Anil)
