in case you hadn't seen it:

[Kathy Gower]

from Ultreyagroups:

Madrid - Spain's top peace award this year goes to... a path.

The "Camino de Santiago", a Christian pilgrim route through France and Spain
to Santiago de Compostela, traditionally considered the burial site of
Apostle Saint James, beat 38 other nominees to scoop the Prince of Asturias
Award for Concord.

The award is given each year to a person or group whose work has contributed
"to the brotherhood of mankind, to the struggle against injustice, poverty,
disease or ignorance... to opening new horizons of knowledge".

Last year it went to Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

Organisers said on Tuesday the Santiago trail had won it for promoting
international peace and cooperation by helping create a shared European
identity.

Believers have trodden the path for 1 200 years. Tourists drawn by medieval
sites and beautiful scenery have swelled their numbers recently and over six
million visitors are expected to flock to the windswept northwestern city
this year.

The foundation that organises the award said it had not yet decided who
would accept the €50 000 prize, which also includes a sculpture by Spanish
artist Joan Miro, on behalf of the trail. It suggested it could be the
Church or a foundation that runs hostels along the way for travellers.

Other past winners have included physicist Stephen Hawking and the American
Foundation for Aids research.