What is the Nobel Peace Prize and the List of 2023 Nobel Laureates

What is the Nobel Peace Prize and the List of 2023 Nobel Laureates Nobel Prize, Indian Nobel Peace Prize winners, Nominees List 2023, History, Physics, Literature, Chemistry

Every country has some special people who amaze everyone with their work. Whether it’s in community service or literature, their actions leave a mark. To honor such remarkable individuals, there are international awards. One of these prestigious awards is the Nobel Prize.

The Nobel Prize has a fascinating origin. It was established to recognize those who make significant contributions to humanity. Here is all the information about its creation and the person behind it.

Let’s delve into the details of the Nobel Prize and learn about its history and significance.

What is the Nobel Prize and Who is it Given To

Around the world, many awards are given, but the most famous is the Nobel Prize. This prestigious award is considered the highest achievement in various fields. Every year, the Nobel Prize honors individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to science, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics, and world peace. It recognizes those who have made the world a better place through their exceptional work.

History of the Nobel Prize

Alfred Nobel was a famous Swedish industrialist, inventor, and manufacturer. In 1896, he passed away, and in his will, he left his fortune to a trust. He wished to establish six awards with the interest from his fortune. These six awards would honor outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, biology/medicine, literature, economics, and world peace each year.

Although Alfred Nobel was a trained chemical engineer, he chose to include these six categories for the Nobel Prize. His vision was to recognize and reward those who make significant achievements in these fields.

In this article, we will talk about one of these categories: the Nobel Peace Prize.

What is the Nobel Peace Prize and Who is it Given To

The Nobel Peace Prize is a symbol of peace. It is awarded to people who have made significant contributions to world peace. This includes efforts to promote brotherhood among nations. Such individuals make a special mark in the world. The Nobel Peace Prize honors these remarkable people for their outstanding work in creating harmony and peace.

History of the Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize started five years after Alfred Nobel’s death, in 1901. The first award was given to honor those who worked to promote peace and cooperation in the world. The history of the Nobel Peace Prize is not entirely clear. However, the prize was first awarded from 1901 to 1904 in the Atrium, from 1905 to 1946 at the Norwegian Nobel Institute, and from 1947 to 1989 at the Oslo Faculty of Law. Since 1990, the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony has been held annually at the Oslo City Hall, where the winners are honored.

According to Alfred Nobel’s will, a committee of five people chosen by the Norwegian Parliament selects the recipient of the prize. It is believed that Nobel was influenced by his friend Bertha von Suttner, a peace activist and later a Nobel laureate, to include peace as a prize category.

Some scholars argue that Nobel established the peace prize to atone for the destructive power of his inventions, such as dynamite and ballistite, which were used violently during his lifetime. These inventions played significant roles in wars during the 1880s. It is not clear why Nobel chose Norway to award the prize, especially since Norway was united with Sweden at the time of his death. The Norwegian Nobel Committee suggests that Nobel saw Norway as a better place for the peace prize because it did not have Sweden’s strong military tradition.

Thus, the complete and accurate history of the Nobel Peace Prize remains partly unknown.

Establishment of the Norwegian Nobel Committee

Alfred Nobel declared that the Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded by a committee of five individuals selected by the Norwegian Storting (Parliament). In April 1897, the Storting took on the responsibility of establishing this committee. By August of the same year, the Norwegian Storting formed the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Since then, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded in Oslo by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, an organization under the authority of the Norwegian Parliament.

Nobel Foundation

In 1900, the Nobel Foundation was established in Sweden to manage financial matters effectively. This organization ensures that the Norwegian Nobel Committee and other awarding bodies can begin and carry out their work smoothly and efficiently.

First Nobel Peace Prize

The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in 1901. That year, the prize was given to two remarkable individuals. The first was Frenchman Frédéric Passy, and the second was Swiss Jean Henry Dunant. Frédéric Passy was a French lawyer who founded the first French Peace Society in 1889 and served as its president. Jean Henry Dunant, from Switzerland, founded the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863. He also proposed the Geneva Convention, which aimed to improve conditions during wartime among nations.

Criteria For Selection

According to the laws of the Nobel Foundation, nominations must be considered valid. To be eligible to nominate someone for this prestigious award, the nominator must belong to one of the following categories:

1. Members of national governments and national assemblies (such as central members or ministers) and current heads of states.
2. Members of the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
3. Members of the Institute of International Law.
4. University professors, university presidents, and directors of peace research and international institutes in the fields of history, social sciences, philosophy, law, and theology.
5. Members of the executive committee of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
6. Former recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, including organizations that have previously won the award.
7. Current and past members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and former permanent advisers to the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

Process of Nomination and Selection

The process for nominating and selecting winners for all Nobel Prize categories is quite similar. Here, we will explain how the Nobel Peace Prize nomination and selection process works. The Norwegian Parliament forms the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which then selects the Nobel Peace Prize winner. Nominations can be submitted by anyone who is eligible. Here’s a brief overview of the process:

September: The Norwegian Nobel Committee prepares to receive nominations. These nominations are submitted by members of national assemblies, governments, and international courts of law. Only qualified individuals or organizations can submit nominations.

February: February 1st is the final date to submit nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Nominations received before this date are considered by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo. Nominations received after this date are considered for the following year. Recently, the committee has received about 300 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize each year.

February – March: During these months, the committee reviews all eligible nominations. They create a shortlist of the most interesting and worthy candidates. Permanent advisors, along with other Norwegian or international experts, evaluate the candidates’ work and prepare another list.

March – August: During this period, the advisors review the shortlisted nominations.

October: At the beginning of October, the Nobel Committee holds a final meeting to select the Nobel Peace Prize winner. If the committee reaches a unanimous decision, the winner is chosen. If there is no consensus, the winner is selected by majority vote. This decision is final and cannot be appealed. The name of the Nobel Peace Prize winner is then announced.

December: At the end of the year, on December 10th, the Nobel Prize winners receive their awards. The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held in Oslo, Norway, on this date, which is also the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The winners are presented with a Nobel medal, a diploma, and a document showing the prize amount. In 2013, the prize amount was 10 million US dollars.

50 Year Secrecy Rule

Under the laws of the Nobel Foundation, the committee is forbidden from announcing the names of the candidates. They cannot disclose these names to the media or the candidates themselves. This restriction lasts for at least 50 years. During this period, the names cannot be leaked in any public or private manner. This rule ensures the safety of the nominees and nominators, and it also protects the integrity of the examination and opinion process related to the award.

Nominations Submission Details

Where to Submit Nominations: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has launched an online nomination form. If you are an eligible nominator, you can use this form. It is available on the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s website from September to February.

Nomination Deadline: The deadline for nominations is January 31st at midnight. If nominators miss this deadline, their nominations are usually considered for the next year’s evaluation. However, members of the Nobel Committee have the right to present their own nominations at the first committee meeting after the deadline.

Confirmation of Submission: A letter or email confirming the receipt and validity of the submitted nominations is typically sent out within a few months after the submission deadline.

Nobel Peace Prize Nominees 2020

The list of nominees for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been released. There are 317 candidates, including 210 individuals and 107 organizations. This is the fourth highest number of nominees ever, with the current record being 376 nominees in 2016. Here are some notable nominees:

Greta Thunberg: One of the most famous names on this year’s list is Greta Thunberg. She is just 17 years old, but her ideas have inspired people all over the world. Greta is known for her activism against climate change. She demanded her government take action on climate change and even went on strike. Every Friday, she would sit outside Parliament instead of going to school, protesting against her government. Greta has brought attention to many environmental issues, and this has earned her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was also nominated in 2018.

Loujain al-Hathloul: Loujain is a woman from Saudi Arabia known for campaigning against driving bans for women and male guardianship. She became famous in 2014 when she tried to drive from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. Last year, she was arrested along with other women’s rights activists and was mistreated. Amnesty International called for her immediate release, saying she had done nothing wrong and was a peaceful activist. This year, she is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The People of Hong Kong: A Norwegian politician has nominated the “people of Hong Kong” for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. He stated that the people of Hong Kong risk their lives every day for the freedom of speech and basic democracy. Their actions not only impact Hong Kong but also resonate with other parts of the world. Therefore, the people of Hong Kong are nominated as a group for this prestigious award.

These are just a few names on the list. As soon as the complete list is announced by the committee, we will update you through this article.

Nobel Peace Prize 2019 Winner

In 2019, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali. He received this prestigious prize for his efforts in promoting peace and international cooperation. One of his notable achievements was peacefully resolving the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea. His decisive actions to bring harmony between the two countries were the primary reason for his recognition.

Interesting Facts about the Nobel Peace Prize

So far, 99 Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded worldwide. Among these, 67 were given to individuals, 30 were shared by two people, and 2 were shared by three people.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has won the Nobel Peace Prize three times—in 1917, 1944, and 1963.

Additionally, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) received the Nobel Peace Prize twice, once in 1954 and again in 1981.

Indian Winners of the Nobel Prize

From 1901 to 2018, a total of 590 Nobel Prizes have been awarded. Here are the notable Indian recipients:

Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore was the creator of India’s national anthem and a renowned literary figure. In 1913, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature for his deeply sensitive, fresh, and beautiful poetry. Tagore was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize. He wrote “Gitanjali” and composed not only India’s national anthem but also Bangladesh’s national anthem.

C.V. Raman
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was the second Indian to receive a Nobel Prize. In 1930, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking work on the scattering of light, known as the Raman Effect.

Mother Teresa
The first Nobel Peace Prize in India was awarded to Mother Teresa in 1979. She founded the Missionaries of Charity and dedicated her life to helping the poor and the needy. Her selfless work made her a beloved figure worldwide.

Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen, a renowned economist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 for his contributions to welfare economics. His work on poverty, welfare, and human development has made a significant impact globally.

Kailash Satyarthi
In 2014, Kailash Satyarthi received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work against child labor and for advocating children’s rights and education. He shared the prize with Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, who became the youngest-ever Nobel laureate for her activism in promoting children’s education.

Nobel Prize Winners in India

Har Gobind Khorana
Har Gobind Khorana was born in India but later moved to America. In 1968, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared this honor with two other scientists. Khorana worked in the field of chemistry and made significant contributions by studying the order of nucleotides in nucleic acids.

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was also born in India but later moved to the United States for work. He was the nephew of C.V. Raman, the second Nobel Prize winner from India. In 1983, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his outstanding work in the field.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, originally from India, moved to the United States and became the third person of Indian origin to receive a Nobel Prize. In 2009, he was honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his significant contributions to the field.

Nobel Prize Winners Related to India

Tenzin Gyatso
In 1989, the second Nobel Peace Prize related to India was awarded to Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. Though he was not born in India, he has done a lot for the Indian people. He always opposed the use of violence in his struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He worked peacefully and respectfully to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people.

Ronald Ross
Sir Ronald Ross was born in British India, although he was British. He worked in the medical field in India for 25 years. Ronald discovered the cause of malaria and how to combat it. For this significant contribution, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1902.

Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling was born in the Bombay Presidency of British India. He had a great affection for the people of India. Kipling was a famous author who wrote many books while living in India. In 1907, he was honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature for his works.

V.S. Naipaul
V.S. Naipaul, of Indian descent, was a celebrated author who wrote numerous books. He made significant contributions to literature and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001.

Each year, the Nobel Prize is awarded to deserving candidates. It will be interesting to see who wins the Nobel Prize in 2020 and in which category.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2021

Many people were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. Among them were Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. They were honored with this prestigious award. This prize was given to them for their efforts in protecting freedom of expression. That year, a total of 329 candidates were in line for the prize. Along with the honor, the winners also received 1.1 million dollars.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2022

This year, 343 people were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2022. Among them, 251 are individuals and 92 are organizations. Some of the notable nominees include human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, Russian and Ukrainian human rights organizations, and other significant figures like Ellen Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger. Additionally, Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal, and K. Barry Sharpless were also nominated. This is the second time such a large number of nominees have been considered for the prize. The first time was in 2016 when 376 names were put forward.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2023

This year, 305 people were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Among them, 212 are individuals and 93 are organizations. The nomination deadline was February 1st. The selection process is ongoing, and in October, we will find out who wins this prestigious peace prize. Until then, we will have to wait.

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