World Food Programme wins peace prize - 14th October 2020

The World Food Programme gives hungry people food. It helps in places with war or weather problems. Now, it has a special thank you. It won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

Berit Reiss Anderson is on the Nobel Committee.

"The Norwegian Nobel committee wishes to emphasize that providing assistance to increase food security not only prevents hunger but can also help to improve prospects for stability and peace."

The World Food Programme started in 1961. People and governments choose to give it money. Last year, it worked in 88 countries. It helped 97 million people. It gave out 15 billion food packets.

The World Food Programme takes food anywhere. It brings food on boats and planes. It sometimes uses helicopters and donkeys. 9 per cent of people don't have enough food. With coronavirus, this number is going up. The world needs the World Food Programme.

Reiss Anderson: "But the pandemic, and the challenges raised by the pandemic, definitely strengthens the reasons for the prize."