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Nobel Prize Money to Fund Cancer and Nutrition Fellowships in Developing World

The prize money targets childhood nutrition in developing countries using nuclear science to identify problems and evaluate the effectiveness of preventive measures. (Photo credit: Nadia Taylor/IAEA)

The Nobel Peace Prize money awarded to the Agency will be used to create a fund for fellowships and training to improve cancer management and childhood nutrition in the developing world, the IAEA Board of Governors decided at its meeting today in Vienna.

A special fund known as the "IAEA Nobel Cancer and Nutrition Fund" was established for receipt of the Agency´s share of the prestigious million dollar prize.

The €525,000 will be rolled out to expand human resources in developing regions of the world. In the area of cancer management, it will be spent on training in radiation oncology to improve cancer treatment and care, as part of the IAEA´s Programme of Action on Cancer Therapy (PACT).

In the area of nutrition, the focus of the training is on the role of nutrition to help ensure healthy development of children using nuclear techniques to identify problems and evaluate the effectiveness of preventive measures taken.

The Norwegian Committee awarded the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize on 7 October to the IAEA and Director General ElBaradei in equal shares.

Fellowship awards will be offered that target young professionals, particularly women, from developing Member States, through the Agency's Technical Cooperation Programme. It is also proposed to organize training courses in regional centres in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

At the Board meeting today, Dr. ElBaradei encouraged Member States and donors to contribute to the Special Fund by giving additional resources both in cash and in kind. "It will be used to maximize the Agency´s ability to build capacity and transfer the needed know-how to developing countries," Dr. ElBaradei said.

Dr. ElBaradei has previously stated he will direct his share of the prize money to charitable purposes.

The IAEA and its Director General won the 2005 Peace Prize "for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way". The award ceremonies for the Nobel Peace Prize take place 10 December in Oslo, Norway.

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