The Nobel Peace Prize 2024

Begin the lesson by asking if they are familiar with the Nobel Peace Prize and if anyone noticed that a new peace prize winner was announced on Friday 11 October.

“Nihon Hidankyo is a Japanese organization for survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. They recently received the Nobel Peace Prize for advocating for a world without nuclear weapons. As the only people in history to have experienced the use of nuclear weapons in war, their stories have been a unique source for learning about the horrors of nuclear weapons. In this way, the organization has worked for peace for many years by warning the world about the dangers of nuclear weapons. The prize recognizes their efforts to prevent such weapons from being used again and marks that it is almost 80 years since the first and only time these weapons were used in war.”

Ask the students to discuss with a learning partner what their initial thoughts are about the Peace Prize.

Nihon Hidankyo was awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize. What does the organization do, and why did it receive the peace prize?

Watch the film from NRK Skole together with your class.

Reflection task: After watching the film, ask the students to either write down their thoughts on the questions (Attachment - Questions), discuss with a learning partner, or discuss the questions in groups.

• What kind of organization is the peace prize winner Nihon Hidankyo?
  
• This year’s peace prize emphasizes that testimonies of survivors are crucial. Why is this so important?
  
• There are several serious conflicts happening today, including in the Middle East and Ukraine. Can this year's peace prize be linked to any of these conflicts?
  
• What is the nuclear weapons taboo, and how does it relate to this peace prize?
  
• How do you think this peace prize can contribute to a more peaceful world?
  
• Jørgen Watne Frydnes also talks about how this is a prize relevant to young people today. What does he say about this? What do you think about it?
  

This year's Nobel Peace Prize winner is an organization of Hibakusha, that is, survivors of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

In this task, students can read the story of Fujio Torikoshi, who was only 14 years old when the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima. You find Fujio's story online by clicking on "testimony" at 1945 Project or by downloading the attachments below.

We propose that the teacher either read the story out loud, or let the students read the texts on their own.

After surviving the bomb, Mr. Torikoshi spent the rest of his life telling his story, visiting museums and schools to tell younger people about his experiences, until he died 86 years old. He would always carry around his harmonica, to play the song his mother played by his bedside when telling his story.

The students may then answer both comprehension questions and reflection questions about Fujio's story.

Questions:

• Fujio would prefer to forget what happened, but what is it that reminds him of the bomb every day?
  
• Fujio finds it difficult to tell his story, but he does so anyway. Why do you think he does it?
  
• How can stories (testimonies) like this help us understand the human consequences of war in a deeper way?
  
• What is the message of the story?

Here, students can explore how this year's Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Nihon Hidankyo is relevant in light of the current global political situation.

You can assign topics, or students can choose one of the examples below to examine more closely.

They will then prepare to present what they have discovered.

Examples of ways to present their findings:

• PowerPoint presentation in front of the class or in groups.
• Expert groups where students research one topic, become "experts" on it, and then present it in groups to fellow students who researched one of the other topics.
• They write a news article about their topic.

They can start with the sources provided in the attchment on the bottom of this page and, if needed, find additional sources.

Context to the teacher:

When Jørgen Watne Frydnes, the Leader of the Nobel Committee, announced the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday 11 Oct, this prize came as a surprise to many. Why this laureate, and why now?

Unfortunately, we see that the nuclear taboo fought for by the peace prize laureate Nihon Hidankyo is under pressure.

As Jørgen Watne Frydnes stated in the announcement on 11 Oct:

The nuclear powers are modernising and upgrading their arsenals; new countries appear to be preparing to acquire nuclear weapons; and threats are being made to use nuclear weapons in ongoing warfare. At this moment in human history, it is worth reminding ourselves what nuclear weapons are: the most destructive weapons the world has ever seen.

Thus, even though this prize might come as a surprise to many, it is a highly relevant prize:

• Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, raises the issue of nuclear weapons.
  
• The conflict in the Middle East comes to a head – where both Israel and Iran have nuclear ambitions.
  
• North Korea is testing their nuclear missiles.
  
• Donald Trump will return to the presidential office. In his last presidential term, his comments on the use of nuclear weapons often reached the news. It is also worth noting that the American president has the last say in potential use of nuclear weapons – giving the president massive power in this issue.
  

Invite the students to look further into one of the four following topics, and its relevance to nuclear weapons:

Putin and Russia:

(BBC, 26.09.24):
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yjej0rvw0o

The situation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran:

(BBC, 2.10. 2024):
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg9k5l19njo

North-Korea:

(Reuters, 18.09. 2024):
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-fires-unidentified-missile-off-east-coast-south-korea-military-says-2024-09-11/

Donald Trump and USA:

Tweet på Twitter/X 3.1.24:
https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948355557022420992
 
BBC, 03.01.18):
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42549687

Japan is a country with many ancient traditions. Origami, or the "art of folding paper" into various shapes, has existed in Japan for many, many years. There is an old legend in Japan that says if you fold 1,000 paper cranes (the Japanese crane is a rare bird that can be found in Japan, among other places), you will get a wish granted by a real crane.

The crane became a particularly important symbol for the victims of the atomic bombs because of the story of Sadako Sasaki. She was only two years old when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and about 2 kilometers away from the bomb's impact site. Seemingly, she didn't suffer any major injuries, but nine years later, she showed symptoms that something was seriously wrong. At the hospital, it was confirmed that she had the aggressive cancer type leukemia. Inspired by a friend, Sadako began folding cranes in hopes to recover from her illness. This is where the story of Sadako has taken many directions throughout history. Some claim she didn't reach 1,000 cranes, and that her classmates finished them after her death. Others say that Sadako actually folded well over 1,000 cranes, even as her condition continued to worsen. Nevertheless, she wanted to keep folding cranes to spread hope and joy to those around her. Despite Sadako's eventual death, the crane remained a symbol of the survivors' courage and strength.

The Japanese crane has therefore become the symbol of Nihon Hidankyo. The crane can symbolize hope, patience, and happiness.

Video on how to fold a crane: Fold an origami crane with the Nobel Prize

Step-by-step guide to folding a crane: How to Make a Paper Crane : 16 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

In response to the arms buildup by several nuclear powers, people around the world have become engaged in the fight against the use of nuclear weapons, inspiring bans and limitations on this buildup.

Among these are the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who in their thousands have shared their horrific experiences, consistently emphasized the importance of working toward nuclear disarmament, and contributed to upholding the "nuclear taboo" that has prevented the use of nuclear weapons in war for nearly 80 years.

Most of the Hibakusha are now gone, or very old. As Masako Wada, the vice-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, said in an interview:
"This might be our last chance to tell our stories."

Finally, ask the students to reflect for themselves:

What can we do to ensure that their stories live on?