President Barack Obama said that he was surprised and humbled by the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award him the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, reports CNN.
Obama used Friday's announcement as an opportunity to extend his reach around the world and define his future actions.
"Let me be clear, I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations," Obama said in his speech. "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honored by this prize.
"Throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement. It's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action - a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century."
The president was awakened with the news before 6 a.m. today by press secretary Robert Gibbs. It came on a day when his biggest challenge - devising a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan - was once again dominating his schedule.
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