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”.

“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.

At noon, a white peace dove was released from the windows of the Nobel Peace Center, symbolically carrying the news of the new Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Members of Save the Children’s Peace Prize Party Committee participated in the release of the peace dove. “It is more important to children than to anyone that there is peace. The peace prize proves that peace is always an option”, said Sidney, 12 years old, from the committee.

The Nobel Peace Center is now beginning preparations for the Nobel Peace Prize exhibition 2024, which will open on December 11—the day after the award ceremony at Oslo City Hall.

“We are eager to welcome representants of Nihon Hidankyo to the Nobel Peace Center in December, and we look forward to spending the coming year highlighting their work and important cause. We warmly congratulate them on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2024”, says Fløgstad.

The celebration of the new Nobel Peace Prize winner starts tomorrow, Saturday, with an event at the Nobel Peace Center that will also be livestreamed. At 12.00 noon, this year's Peace Prize Diploma will be unveiled, followed by a lecture by Jørgen Watne Frydnes, Chairman of the Nobel Committee, and a panel discussion with experts on this year's prize. The event is open to all, and registration takes place via the Nobel Peace Center's website.

The Nobel Peace Center's educators are also developing a special educational programme for school pupils at all levels, ready for use in classrooms both in Norway and internationally when the pupils return to school on Monday morning. The programme will also be available via NRK Skole.

About the Nobel Peace Center

• one of Norway's most visited museums, with more than 200.000 visitors per year, including school groups
• presents the story of Alfred Nobel, the Nobel Peace Prize laureates and their work
• is situated in the heart of Oslo, near the City Hall
• Kjersti Fløgstad is the Executive Director, Olav Njølstad is Chair of the Board
• Main partners are Hydro and Reitan Retail