Nobel Peace Prize goes to U.N. program led by former S.C. governor

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - From 1901 to 2020, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded more than 100 times. This year’s award recipient was the United Nation’s World Food Programme, an organization led by former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley.

According to The Nobel Prize’s website, WFP won the award “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”

The organization beat out 317 other candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize which included 211 individuals and 106 other organizations.

WFP is the largest humanitarian based organization that addresses hunger while also promoting food security in over 80 countries.

Beasley, the Executive Director of WFP, tweeted out his reaction to the organization winning this year’s prize.

Beasley served as governor from 1995-1999. He was also a member of the state’s House of Representatives from 1979 until he was elected as governor.

The award comes with a $1.1 million cash prize and a gold medal.

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