The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization representing survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in recognition of its activism against nuclear weapons.
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced the award on Friday, stating that it was given as “the taboo against the use of nuclear weapons is under pressure.” Frydnes emphasized that the Nobel committee seeks to honor all survivors who, despite enduring physical and emotional trauma, have chosen to turn their painful experiences into a message of hope and peace.
The Nobel Committee has previously recognized efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons. In 2017, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) received the Peace Prize, and in 1995, Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs were honored for their efforts to reduce the role of nuclear arms in international politics and, ultimately, to eliminate them.
This year’s award comes amid significant global conflicts, including Israel’s war on Gaza, as well as ongoing violence in Ukraine and Sudan.
Alfred Nobel, the prize’s founder, specified in his will that the Peace Prize should be awarded for efforts promoting fraternity between nations, reducing standing armies, and advancing peace congresses.
There had been some speculation that the Norwegian Nobel Committee might forgo awarding the prize this year, given the global unrest. However, the committee proceeded, awarding a $1 million cash prize to Nihon Hidankyo.
Unlike other Nobel prizes, which are announced in Stockholm, the Peace Prize is decided and awarded in Oslo by the five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee. The Nobel season concludes on Monday with the announcement of the economics prize, officially known as the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
