"German leader Angela Merkel receives Nobel Peace Prize nomination from Coventry"

[dutchman]

Germany leader Angela Merkel has received a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize from Coventry.



The German chancellor was nominated by Prof Mike Hardy in his role as executive director of Coventry University’s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations.

Directors of academic peace centres are eligible to make nominations and for the first time, he opened up the nomination to the people of Coventry after consulting with around 200 people from areas including education and the charity sector.

Prof Hardy, who is also chairman of the RISING Global Peace Forum Board, announced his choice at a supporters’ dinner for the RISING Global Peace Forum in St Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry on Thursday evening.

The RISING event will be held in the city this again year between November 15 and 16 after a successful event at Coventry Cathedral in 2015 which hosted speakers including former prime minister Gordon Brown, MP Hilary Benn and one-time hostage Terry Waite.

Prof Mike Hardy said the nomination celebrated Merkel’s role in championing peace globally and her leadership during a time of great instability.

He said: “Angela Merkel was the obvious choice. She has recently been recognised as a TIME Magazine ‘Person of the Year’ and I wanted to recognise her as a champion of peace, coming as she did from a divided Germany, and her unwavering commitment to a more united world.

“I was keen that we should open up the nomination process and I hope that this becomes a key part of the RISING Global Peace Forum calendar. We continue to engage communities directly in the challenges of peace and security; this is an essential part of RISING.”

Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize have now closed and the Nobel Laureate selected from the record 376 people and organisations nominated will be announced on October 7, 2016.

Coun Ann Lucas, Coventry City Council leader, said: “At a time of global conflict that’s inflicting suffering on so many people across the world great political leadership has never been more important.

“That means doing the right thing – not the easy or most popular thing – for people. I am so glad we are paying tribute in this way to Angela Merkel and her tireless efforts to champion peace across Europe and beyond during the biggest refugee crisis in the continent in recent history. Her bravery and courage in leading the way on this issue has been remarkable.”

[rebbonk]

My thoughts on what she's done to Europe are unprintable.