The EU Commission has decided that the prize money from its 2012 Nobel Peace is to be allocated to projects to support children affected by wars and conflicts.

“The Nobel Peace Prize stands for reconciliation throughout the world. The Prize money should benefit the first hope for the future, but also the first victims of present and past conflicts: children,” says EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Barroso, EU President Herman von Rompuy and EU Parliament Speaker Martin Schultz will all be travellng to Oslo to receive the peace prize on December 10.

All 27 EU heads of state and government have been invited to take part in the ceremony.

At the same time the Commission has launched a drawing and writing contest for 8-24 year old Europeans in order to choose four young people who will also travel to Oslo to take part in the official ceremony.

"Peace, Europe, Future: What does Peace in Europe mean to you?" is the theme of the contest. Children aged 8 to 12 are asked to express their answer in a drawing, young people aged 13 to 24 in a short text of maximum 120 characters, in any of the 23 official EU languages.

The contest closes at midnight on Nov. 25. The European Youth Forum will pre-select the 16 best entries for the 8-12, 13-17 and 18-24 age groups and a jury will select the winners in each group. The fourth young person to go will be the candidate with the most votes overall.

DOCUMENTATION: Take part and propose entries here (External link)

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