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U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech after he received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Rose Garden of White House in Washington on Oct. 9, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday that he was surprised to learn that he won the Nobel Peace Prize of 2009, which he saw as a "call for action."
Speaking to reporters in the Rose Garden of the White House, he said he was "both surprised and deeply humbled" to accept the award and didn't view it as a recognition of his own accomplishments.
Rather, the prize should be regarded as a recognition of the goals he set for the United States and the world.
"I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century," Obama said.
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U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech after he received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Rose Garden of White House in Washington on Oct. 9, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
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The president said the challenges, including nuclear nonproliferation, combating climate change and energy crisis, can't be met by any one leader or any one nation.
"That is why I worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek," he said.
Earlier Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people."
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U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech after he received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Rose Garden of White House in Washington on Oct. 9, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
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Obama is the fourth U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the third sitting president to do so.
Reactions to his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize are mixed in the United States.
Some like former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2002, said Obama's award is "a bold statement of international support for his vision and commitment to peace and harmony in international relations."
Others, like the Time Magazine's Mark Halperin, said "the stunning decision to award Obama the Nobel Peace Prize for his rhetoric will almost certainly infuriate his detractors in America more than it will delight his supporters."
Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced.
Obama was awarded the prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people," news reports from Oslo quoted the committee as saying. Full story
Hamas says Obama does not deserve Nobel Peace Prize
GAZA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement said Friday that U.S. President Barack Obama does not deserve a Noble Peace Prize since he failed to give the Palestinian people their legitimate rights.
Fawzi Barhoum, Gaza Hamas spokesman told Xinhua that "Obama does not deserve this prize," after the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.Full story
Bangladeshi PM greets Obama on winning Nobel Peace Prize
DHAKA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize.
In a message of congratulations, Hasina said Obama played a pivotal role in establishing world peace and bringing harmony among the people of different ethnic groups, religions and opinions.Full story
