Geldof Nominated for Nobel Prize

Norwegian nominates Geldof for the Nobel prize

JOHN INNES


HE ORGANISED the biggest series of concerts the world has ever seen, he has barracked world leaders and now "Sir" Bob Geldof might just get the ultimate recognition for his efforts - the Nobel Peace Prize.

Jan Simonsen, a Norwegian MP, yesterday nominated Geldof for the award, saying the Live 8 organiser should receive the honour - handed out every year by the Norwegian Nobel Committee - in recognition of his work to help the world's poor.


"Bob Geldof took the initiative in July 2005 to arrange a string of rock concerts to focus on the problems of poor nations, and pressure the world's leading politicians to take actions in fighting poverty," Mr Simonsen said yesterday.

Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, speaking as the G8 leaders gathered in Gleneagles, said: "The campaign to Make Poverty History has been the most extraordinary civic society campaign I have ever come across, not just in this country but around the world. It's never easy for relationships between people who are campaigning on issues and political leaders who are trying to take decisions, but this is one occasion when those in positions of political leadership and those in the leadership of campaigns have wanted to come together."

Geldof's attempts to return Africa to the top of the political agenda began last year, when he persuaded a host of pop stars to record a new version of Do They Know It's Christmas?. The single, which was released to mark the 20th anniversary of the Band Aid recording, went straight to No1 in the charts, with the proceeds going towards famine relief.

Geldof also sat on Mr Blair's Commission for Africa, which was designed to form the blueprint for Britain's chairmanship of the G8 summit. The former Boomtown Rats frontman has also worked closely with Jack McConnell, the First Minister, on the issue of African poverty.

He appeared at the Scottish Parliament and urged Mr McConnell to tackle the issue of corruption when he visited Malawi.

Too bad all his work has been overshadowed by what happened today.

The Peace Nobel Prize is a joke. George W. Bush was nominated for it not so long ago too

That would have been something.
You think I could win one someday??