Introduction
In 60 years, the United Nations, its specialized agencies and staff were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ten times. One agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees received the famous prize twice. Two Secretaries-General, Kofi Annan and Dag Hammarskjold were honoured as well by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for their work. The latest awardee, Mohamed ElBaradei declared upon learning that he was the 2005 recipient of the prize “I think the prize would strengthen my resolve and that of my colleagues to continue to speak the truth to power, to continue to speak our minds. We have no hidden agenda except to ensure that our world continues to be safe and humane”.
For one hundred years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to strengthen organized cooperation
between states. The end of the cold war has at last made it possible for the U.N. to perform more
fully the part it was originally intended to play. Today the organization is at the forefront of
efforts to achieve peace and security in the world, and of the international mobilization aimed
at meeting the world's economic, social and environmental challenges....[The] Norwegian Nobel
Committee wishes in its centenary year to proclaim that the only negotiable route to global peace
and cooperation goes by way of the United Nations.
