Record 259 nominees for this year Nobel Peace Prize

USPA News - More than 250 individuals and organizations have been nominated for this year`s Nobel Peace Prize, surpassing the previous record, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Monday. Among those nominated are a Pakistani teenager and leaders from Colombia and Myanmar (Burma).

The Committee said it received valid nominations for 209 individuals and 50 organizations for this year`s peace prize, which will be announced in October. The list of candidates is kept secret for 50 years and the committee does not comment on possible names, but those who are eligible to nominate candidates sometimes reveal their choices. Among those nominated is a 15-year-old Pakistani girl who made headlines in October 2012 after she was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen for advocating for girls` education and criticizing the militant group. The girl, Malala Yousafzai, was on her way home from school when the attack happened. U.S. Army private Bradley Manning, who has admitted to sending classified material to whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, is also among the candidates. Others on the list include Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his efforts to end the ongoing conflict with FARC guerrillas, Myanma (Burmese) President Thein Sein for putting the country on a path to democracy, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton for his charitable work. The 259 candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize this year surpasses the previous record of 247 nominations in 2011. There were 231 valid nominations for last year`s peace prize, which was won by the European Union for its contribution to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.