Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes created by the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor. It is given each year to people who work to bring countries closer together and promote peace.

Since 1901, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to individuals who help nations work together and support peace. It is considered one of the most important awards in the world.

The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a group of five people selected by the Parliament of Norway. This is different from the other Nobel Prizes, which are chosen by the Swedish Nobel Committee. The award ceremony usually takes place in Oslo City Hall.

Because the prize is about politics and peace, it has sometimes caused debate. The most recent prize was given to María Corina Machado for her efforts to support democratic rights in Venezuela.

Background

Alfred Nobel's will said the Nobel Peace Prize should go to the person who does the most to help countries work together, reduce armies, and promote peace meetings. A group of five people chosen by the Norwegian Parliament picks the winner.

Alfred Nobel died in 1896. He did not say why he chose to create a peace prize. Some think it was because of his friendship with Bertha von Suttner, a peace activist who later won the prize. Others think he wanted to make up for making dangerous inventions like dynamite and ballistite.

Nomination and selection

The Norwegian Parliament appoints the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which picks the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Each year, the Norwegian Nobel Committee asks certain people to suggest candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize. These people include leaders from governments and parliaments, judges from international courts, university teachers, past Nobel Peace Prize winners, and members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Nominations are usually due by early February each year. The committee looks at the nominations and makes a shortlist of candidates. Helpers to the committee then write reports on these candidates. The committee tries to choose a winner by mid-September, but sometimes they decide later, and the winner is announced in early October.

Main articles: List of individuals nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (1900–1999), List of individuals nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (2000–present), and List of organizations nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

Awarding the prize

The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee gives the Nobel Peace Prize each year on December 10. This is the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. The King of Norway and the Norwegian royal family are there for the ceremony. The Peace Prize ceremony happens in Oslo City Hall, not in Stockholm, unlike the other Nobel Prizes. The winner gets a diploma, a medal, and a document with the prize money. The prize money changes each year based on investments.

The place for the ceremony has changed over time. From 1947 to 1989, it was in the Atrium of the University of Oslo Faculty of Law. Between 1905 and 1946, the ceremony was at the Norwegian Nobel Institute. From 1901 to 1904, it was in the Storting (Parliament).

Medal

Main article: Nobel Prize medal

The Nobel Peace Prize medal was made in 1901 by a Norwegian artist named Gustav Vigeland. The front shows Alfred Nobel, and the back has three people standing together to show friendship. Words on the medal say "Pro pace et fraternitate gentium", meaning "For the peace and brotherhood of men." Each year, the medal shows the year it was given and the name of the person who won it.

Laureates

For a more comprehensive list, see List of Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been given to 111 people and 27 groups. Nineteen women have won this prize, more than any other Nobel Prize. Only two groups have won the award more than once: the International Committee of the Red Cross, which won in 1917, 1944, and 1963, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which won in 1954 and 1981. Lê Đức Thọ is the only person to have chosen not to accept the prize.

Criticism

Some people think the Nobel Peace Prize might sometimes be given for political reasons. They worry that choosing winners based on current opinions can be unfair. There are also concerns that the prize has become too political, rewarding hopes instead of real achievements. This can sometimes make peace harder to reach.

Controversies have happened over some winners. For example, the 1973 prize awarded to Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ caused two committee members to quit in protest. Some people feel that others, like Mahatma Gandhi, should have won the prize but never did. Gandhi was nominated several times but never received the award.