Man Of Peace

Within a couple of days of The Independent running editorial that said Live 8 fans may have “bought the wristband, gone to the concert, joined the march and rejoiced” but nothing much has changed in Africa, Bob Geldof was chosen as the 2005 Nobel Man of Peace.

From even before the July 2nd event, there’s been a lot of media and public discussion on whether fund-raising and awareness-raising events do any practical good, but at least the Nobel committee of living Peace Prize winners feels Geldof’s efforts to be worthy of recognition.

The former Boomtown Rats frontman and Live Aid / Live 8 activist was reported as saying he was overwhelmed to get the award, which was for his “unflagging work and powerful voice on behalf of the poor of Africa over the last 20 years and in particular the last 12 months.”

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is expected to present the prize to Geldof during the World Summit of Nobel Laureates in Rome November 24th.

— John Gammon