Obama, speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House indicated that it sees the award as recognition of their own achievements, but as an endorsement of the aspirations of people in all countries.

The award, said the U.S. president, considers shared with all who fight for justice and dignity.

The announcement of the Nobel Peace when Obama takes only nine months in the U.S. presidency, was greeted with astonishment in Washington and the White House.

The president, according to his spokesman, Robert Gibbs, in the news around six in the morning (1000 GMT), when he awoke to inform you.

Gibbs said Obama did not even know that theirs was among the candidates, the deadline for filing completed Just two weeks after coming to power.

The award also comes at a time somewhat paradoxical. If Obama got up this morning as a symbol of world peace, this afternoon is scheduled a meeting with his national security team to design the strategy in the war in Afghanistan, which could include a large shipment of reinforcements.

In his remarks, the U.S. president said he was surprised and deeply honored by the award.

To be honest, I feel that I deserve to be in the company processing so many personalities who have been honored with this award, he acknowledged.

The Norwegian Nobel Institute said today in announcing the prize that Obama has won for its extraordinary efforts to strengthen diplomacy and international cooperation among peoples.

Specifically, the institute said its efforts to build bridges with the Muslim world and for a future without nuclear weapons.

Obama got to the White House with a promise to begin a new phase of cooperation with the international community, after the tensions experienced during the tenure of his predecessor, George W. Bush.

So far it is more a hope than facts, but Obama said that throughout history, this award has been used not only to reward specific achievements ; also been used as a way of boosting a number of causes.

So I accept this award as a call to action, as a call to all countries to address the common challenges of the XXI century, stressed the head of the White House, citing among them the fight against climate change or conflict in the Middle East.

On a more personal note revealed that his daughters did not seem very impressed by the ad.

His daughter Sasha, aged eight, told him: Dad, you've won the Nobel Peace Prize. And it is the Bo's birthday, the presidential family dog. Her other daughter, Malia, eleven years old, reminded that Monday is a holiday in the U.S. and, therefore, look forward to a long weekend.

There's nothing like having kids to keep perspective on things, joked the American president.

Obama is planning to travel to Oslo to receive the Nobel ceremony on December 10.

The award comes with a cash reward of 1.4 million dollars. The White House has indicated that the president will donate the entire amount to charity, but so far has not disclosed which ones.

This is the third time he received the Nobel Peace a U.S. President active, after Theodore Roosevelt (1906) and Woodrow Wilson (1919).

The announcement has been met with divided opinions in this country. Two of his predecessors in the award, the former president Jimmy Carter and former Vice President Al Gore, have considered the award well deserved.

By contrast, Republican Party Chairman, Michael Steele, considered unfortunate that the president's star status has overshadowed other tireless individuals who have achieved real gains for peace and human rights .