of women and that it is important that women leave the concept of shame behind and speak up." At the time of the announcement in Oslo, neither awardee could be reached and informed of winning the prize. "I was in the operating room so when they started to make noise around (it) I wasn't really thinking about what was going on and suddenly some people came in and told me the news," Mukwege told Norwegian daily VG after completing his second surgery of the day, "It was so touching when I was operating and I heard people start to cry and it was so, so, so touching." "I can see in the faces of many women how they are happy to be recognised, and this is really so touching," he said when informed by phone of the news. Later addressing colleagues and supporters at the hospital, he said: "dear survivors around the world, I want to tell you that through this prize the world is listening to you and refuses indifference ... We hope that the world will no longer delay taking action in your favour, with force and determination, because the survival of humanity depends on you. It's you women who carry humanity." "I hope that it will help bring justice for those women who suffered from sexual violence," said Murad, learning of the award while in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She said she will share her award "with Yazidis, Iraqis, Kurds, other persecuted minorities and all of the countless victims of sexual violence around the world" and will be thinking of her mother, who was slain by IS militants. Middlebury College President Laurie L. Patton wrote in an email, "This is by far the best cancellation notice I have ever had to write," when Murad had to cancel as guest speaker delivering the night of the award announcement a presentation entitled "Hope Has an Expiration Date: Exploring the Plight of Victims of Ethnic and Religious Violence in the Middle East." Reactions Tweeted reactions began pouring in immediately following the announcement, with Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth calling it a "long awaited Nobel recognition", Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland calling it "the best Nobel Prize in a long time", and the government of Iraq expressing "deepest respect" for Murad. The only Yazidi in Iraq's Parliament, Vian Dakhil wrote in a statement that Murad "proved to