Bill Clinton a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee
The list of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize has been leaked, and at the top of contenders is former president Bill Clinton.
Clinton is passionate about his humanitarian efforts, even leading several initiatives in order to improve the quality of life of everyday civilians. In 2005 he founded the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in order to "convene global leaders to create and implement innovate solutions to the world's most pressing challenges."
In addition to the CGI, he is the head of the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative, Clinton Development Initiative, and the Clinton Climate Initiative. He has worked hard in order to improve relations among the U.S. fellow countries, including North Korea. In 2009 he helped secure the freedom of two American reporters.
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Clinton's website states: "The success of our work is measured by a single question: Are people better off now than when we started?" and charts the progress of his several initiatives. He has supported wife Hillary during her time as Secretary of State and has maintained a very public image through his humanitarian efforts.
He spoke about the violence of Boko Haram that is consuming the nation and leaving thousands dead while at the ThisDay Awards ceremony hosted by Nigerian newspaper magnate Nduka Obaigbena. "You can't just have this level of inequality persist. That's what's fueling all this stuff. It is almost impossible to cure a problem based on violence with violence."
"You also have to give people something to look forward to when they get up in the morning," he noted at the ceremony. This is only the latest issue to be addressed by the former president, who maintains a high approval rating and is often looked to for guidance regarding relations with other countries.
The Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901 and includes a medal, cash, and personal diploma. Recipients have included presidents Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, as well as Nelson Mandela and Elie Wiesel, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr.
