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Spain

Queen Sofia of Spain is put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize

Queen Sofia of Spain has been put forward for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The queen has been nominated by a university in the United States for her work in the field of Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Queen Sofia of Spain, seen here with her husband King Juan Carlos, has been put forward as a candidate for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize

The confirmation that Sofia has been suggested as a possible candidate for this world famous prize came just before the opening of a conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases taking place in Malaga which the queen was due to attend.

One of Spain’s leading experts in the field, Jesus Avila, told journalists at a press conference that Queen Sofia had been put forward for the prize by an American university which he didn’t name. He added that many people are nominated for the prize – this year’s recipient will be revealed in October.

Queen Sofia, whose husband Juan Carlos I abdicated in June 2014 and whose son Felipe VI is now King of Spain, has shown an ongoing dedication to work related to the issues raised for society by Alzheimers. Her Queen Sofia Foundation, which she set up in 1977, now has an Alzheimer’s Centre dedicated to research and training in the field and to finding ways to help patients.

Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize can be made by a list of qualified people and there is no limit on the number of individuals or organisations which can be suggested as recipients in any one year. This year there are 273 nominations.

In 1990, the Princess Royal was nominated for the prize for her work with Save the Children. And in 1997 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines which Diana, Princess of Wales had been heavily involved in – the presentation came just months after her death.

The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize usually travels to Oslo to collect their award which is traditionally presented by the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in the presence of the country’s Royal Family led by King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

The Peace Prize was set up as part of the Nobel Awards to recognize ‘the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”. This year’s recipient will be announced on October 9th 2015.

Photo credit: By Cl?udio Vaz [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons