Nobel Peace Prize
Alfred Nobel died in 1896 without leaving a clear explanation for why he chose peace as a prize category. He was a trained chemical engineer who invented dynamite and ballistite, both weapons used violently during his lifetime. Ballistite saw use in war while the Irish Republican Brotherhood carried out dynamite attacks in the 1880s. Nobel also helped turn Bofors from an iron producer into an armaments company. Some scholars suggest his friendship with Bertha von Suttner influenced his decision to include peace. Von Suttner later became a recipient of the prize herself. A popular story claims that newspapers published a mistaken obituary calling him the merchant of death after his brother Ludvig died in 1888. This account suggests the shock led him to want a better legacy. Modern research has failed to confirm whether that specific newspaper article ever existed. The Norwegian Nobel Committee speculates Norway suited the task because it lacked Sweden's militaristic traditions. At the end of the 19th century the Norwegian parliament joined efforts by the Inter-Parliamentary Union to resolve conflicts through mediation.
The Norwegian Parliament appoints five members to the Norwegian Nobel Committee each year. Qualified nominators include members of national assemblies and governments plus members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Academics at professor level in history or social sciences may submit nominations as well. Previous recipients and present committee members can also propose candidates. Nominations must reach the committee by early February in the award year. In 2011 the committee received 241 nominations which set a record at that time. The working language of the committee is Norwegian though submissions often arrive in English or French. Information about nominations remains secret for at least 50 years after an award is given. Adolf Hitler received a satirical nomination from a Swedish parliament member in 1939. The committee creates a shortlist during meetings before permanent advisers review further details. Advisers usually have months to complete reports before the final decision arrives. The committee typically concludes its work by mid September though some decisions wait until October. A unanimous decision is sought but not always achieved.
The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presents the prize on December 10th each year. This date marks the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. The King of Norway and the royal family attend every ceremony held since 1990. Oslo City Hall has hosted the event for over three decades now. Before 1990 ceremonies took place at the University of Oslo Faculty of Law between 1947 and 1989. Earlier events occurred at the Norwegian Nobel Institute from 1905 to 1946. From 1901 to 1904 Parliament served as the venue instead. Gustav Vigeland designed the medal in 1901 using a profile sculpture of Alfred Nobel. Erik Lindberg created the dies because Vigeland was not an engraver himself. The reverse side shows three men linked in fraternal bond with Latin text reading Pro pace et fraternitate gentium. Each medal edge carries the award year plus recipient name and Prix Nobel de la Paix inscription. Winners receive a diploma and document confirming prize amounts alongside their medals. Around 2020 typical awards reached roughly one million US dollars depending on exchange rates.
Since March 1901 the Peace Prize has gone to 111 individuals and 27 organizations. Nineteen women have won this specific category more than any other Nobel Prize. Only two recipients have ever won multiple prizes total. The International Committee of the Red Cross received the honor three times in 1917 1944 and 1963. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees won twice in 1954 and 1981. Lê Đức Thọ remains the only person who voluntarily refused acceptance of the award. Recent winners include María Corina Machado for her work promoting democratic rights in Venezuela. Barack Obama received the prize in 2009 while Abiy Ahmed won more recently. The European Union also secured recognition as an organization rather than individual. These statistics show how the scope expanded from early single figures to complex international bodies over time. The number of nominations keeps rising with records broken repeatedly since 2009.
Critics argue that some awards reflect political motivations rather than pure achievement. Mikhail Gorbachev Yitzhak Rabin Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat all faced scrutiny after receiving honors. Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ won in 1973 causing two committee members to resign in protest. Christopher Hitchens called the entire enterprise a huge bore and fraud in his memoir Hitch-22. Michael Nobel grandson of Alfred's brother claimed the committee did not always follow Nobel's will. Øivind Stenersen argued Norway used the prize for nation-building purposes in a 2011 newspaper feature. Some believe the definition of peace has become too broad allowing aspirations instead of accomplishments. This approach can cause breakdowns in fragile peace processes if power realities are ignored. The award given to Barack Obama sparked similar debates about premature recognition versus actual results. Critics say judges cannot always remain impartial observers when dealing with unquantifiable contemporary opinions.
Mahatma Gandhi was nominated four times between 1937 and 1948 before his assassination. He never received the Peace Prize despite being widely considered deserving by many historians. Foreign Policy magazine listed him among those who should have won but did not. In 1948 the committee declined to award anyone stating no suitable living candidate existed that year. Geir Lundestad Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee later called this omission the greatest regret in their history. When the Dalai Lama won in 1989 the chairman said it served partly as tribute to Gandhi's memory. Other names frequently mentioned include Corazon Aquino Eleanor Roosevelt Václav Havel and Ken Saro-Wiwa. Public statements from various committee members confirm these regrets over decades. The absence of Gandhi remains a central topic in discussions about the prize's legacy and fairness.
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Common questions
Why did Alfred Nobel create the Peace Prize category?
Alfred Nobel created the Peace Prize category in 1896 despite being a chemical engineer who invented dynamite and ballistite. Some scholars suggest his friendship with Bertha von Suttner influenced this decision, while other accounts claim a mistaken obituary calling him the merchant of death after his brother Ludvig died in 1888 led to shock.
When does the Norwegian Nobel Committee announce the winner each year?
The committee typically concludes its work by mid September though some decisions wait until October. The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presents the prize on December 10th each year which marks the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.
How many women have won the Nobel Peace Prize since March 1901?
Nineteen women have won the Nobel Peace Prize more than any other Nobel Prize category since March 1901. The Peace Prize has gone to 111 individuals and 27 organizations during that time period.
Where are the Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies held today compared to earlier years?
Oslo City Hall has hosted the event for over three decades now starting from 1990. Before 1990 ceremonies took place at the University of Oslo Faculty of Law between 1947 and 1989 and earlier events occurred at the Norwegian Nobel Institute from 1905 to 1946.
Why was Mahatma Gandhi never awarded the Nobel Peace Prize despite multiple nominations?
Mahatma Gandhi was nominated four times between 1937 and 1948 before his assassination but never received the award. In 1948 the committee declined to award anyone stating no suitable living candidate existed that year.