A Nobel Peace Prize for a world free from nuclear arms
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 to Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again. In the announcement, the committee stated that: “The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 to Nihon Hidankyo is securely anchored in Alfred Nobel’s will. This year’s prize joins a distinguished list of Peace Prizes that the Committee has previously awarded to champions of nuclear disarmament and arms control. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 fulfils Alfred Nobel’s desire to recognise efforts of the greatest benefit to humankind”.
The Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo emphasizes the vital importance of individuals engaging in conversations about the devastating impacts of war and the use of weapons on civilian populations, says Kjersti Fløgstad, Director of the Nobel Peace Center, about the Nobel Peace Prize 2024.
“This prize is part of a longstanding tradition of Nobel Peace Prizes awarded for efforts toward nuclear disarmament, but it is also a prize to civil society. It emphasizes the vital importance of individuals engaging in conversations about the devastating impacts of war and the use of weapons on civilians”, said Kjersti Fløgstad, Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Center, after the announcement.
“Furthermore, this prize is particularly timely. As the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated in his announcement, the threat of nuclear weapon use looms large in today's ongoing conflicts. By highlighting the horrific consequences of nuclear weapons, the Nobel Committee is reinvigorating the discussion on nuclear disarmament, which is crucial in the current global context”, said Fløgstad.
The celebration of the new Nobel Peace Prize winner starts the next day with an event that includes the unveiling of this year's Peace Prize diploma, a lecture, and a panel discussion. The event is open to everyone, and registration is done via the Nobel Peace Center's website. An educational program for school students is also being developed, available both in Norway and internationally, as well as through NRK School on Monday morning.
Listen to the panel discussion about Nihon Hidankyo from the event 12 October:
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