World Food Programme Wins Nobel Peace Prize for Aiding the Global Food Insecure

World Food Programme takes home the Nobel Peace Prize

The World Food Programme (WFP), a United Nations agency and the world’s largest humanitarian organization dedicated to combating hunger and food insecurity, has won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee chose the WFP “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,” according to the Nobel Prize announcement. Last year the WFP “provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger,” per the press release.

The committee highlighted the WFP’s work during the pandemic, a crisis during which hunger levels have surged around the world, especially in countries already devastated by conflict, poverty, and climate disaster. The pandemic, “with its brutal impact on economies and communities, is pushing millions more to the brink of starvation,” the WFP wrote in a statement about the award.

The WFP, whose funding depends on voluntary donations, will receive a cash prize of 10 million Swedish kroners, or $1.1 million, as part of the Nobel Peace Prize.

And in other news…

• European cities are closing bars and pubs as coronavirus cases resurge. [CNN]
• A coronavirus outbreak at a Vermont apple orchard sickened 26 migrant farmworkers. [WCAX]
• A Pennsylvania server who asked a customer to wear their mask found that the patron didn’t leave her a tip, just a scribbled “MASK” on the receipt. [ABC7]
• Too many drinks, not enough cans! [WaPo]
• McDonald’s saw its U.S. sales bounce back, thanks in part to promo stunts like the Travis Scott burger. [WSJ]
• Subway made a Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Chicken sub. [QSR]
• In other poultry-drenched-in-stuff news, KFC has a new signature dipping sauce. [Thrillist]
• UK university students in lockdown are not happy that they’re paying for schools to feed them with what amounts to basically convenience store food. Looks like shitty school quarantine food is universal! [The Guardian]
• The founders of Milk Bar, Sweetgreen, and Alinea on how their restaurants are getting through COVID-19. [Fast Company]
• The history of the fight for “natural” food. [Wired]

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