London, 6 October 2017<\/p>\n
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Ican).<\/p>\n
Berit Reiss-Andersen, the Nobel committee chair, said it was due to the group’s “groundbreaking efforts to achieve a treaty prohibition” on nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
“We live in a world where the risk of nuclear weapons being used is greater than it has been for a long time,” she continued.<\/p>\n
She cited the North Korea issue.<\/p>\n
Ms Reiss-Andersen called on nuclear-armed states to initiate negotiations to gradually eliminate the weapons.<\/p>\n
In July, 122 nations adopted a UN treaty designed to ban and eventually eliminate all nuclear weapons. But none of the nine known nuclear powers in the world – including the UK and the US – signed up.<\/p>\n
Ican, a coalition of hundreds of NGOs, is 10 years old and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The group will receive nine million Swedish kronor ($1.1 million, \u00a394,000) along with a medal and a diploma at a ceremony in December.<\/p>\n