President Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize this past Friday. In his acceptance speak, he described his own reaction as “surprised and deeply humbled,” and explained how he views the prize as a catalyst for a greater worldwide movement to confront the challenges of the 21st century. In his words: “I know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it has also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. I will accept this award as a call to action. A call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.”

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Only three other US presidents have won the award, including: Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919), and Jimmy Carter (2002).

Click to read the full list of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.

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