Nobel Peace Prize - Predict and Nominate!

Please submit your predictions and nominations in the Comments

This Friday, October 11, the Nobel Committee will announce the winner of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Every year I eagerly await the announcement on the second Friday in October and try to imagine, always unsuccessfully, who might win.

I understand the worthiness of past winners is variable, with some questionable politicized choices, including a few war criminals, as well as some legitimate heroes. It is often a political statement about our times. They often highlight those who have been censored, attacked or imprisoned to bring attention to their causes.

On two occasions I was active in groups that were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

·      In 1985 it was awarded to the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), led by US Dr. Bernard Lown and USSR Dr. Yevgeny Chazov.  In 1983, I became a speaker for Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), the US branch of IPPNW, doing slide shows about image of the enemy and the psychology of the US-USSR nuclear arms race. See Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1985 by Yevgeny Chazov, USSR Cardiological Institute, co-founder of IPPNW.

·      In 2017 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) for their work on the UN Conference on the Treaty on the Prevention of Nuclear Weapons(TPNW), AKA “the Ban treaty,” which passed on my birthday, July 7, 2017. I attended and presented at this historic conference.

I invite you to write in the comments

1.    Your predictions of winner and runners up

2.    Your personal nominations of those worthy of this recognition

Below are

·      my predictions

·      my nominations

·      an activity for the list of winners, excerpted from my book, Living Rights: Making Human Rights Come Alive Activity Book and Journal.

·      a list of all previous Nobel Peace Prize winners, beginning in 1901.

Note: My apologies as all my predictions are associated with the cataclysm in the Middle East/West Asia, which is expanding with global impact and potential to go nuclear. I welcome your nominations for other issues.

I am most deeply attached to this one. I lived in Israel and visited Gaza in 1997 and 1999 where I presented at the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme International Conferences on Health and Human Rights and Ramallah in 1999 for a Physicians for Human Rights Conference on caring for victims of Torture. I also warned about this in 2009 in an Open Letter to Obama.

My Predictions

World Central Kitchen (WCK), Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, whose aid workers were killed by the IDF while attempting to deliver food to Gazans. They also do work with disasters which are currently threatening and shocking.

Mission, Vision, and Values

WCK's work is guided by our belief that food is a universal human right. Both in the communities we serve and in our daily workspace, we uphold and rely on our values to direct us toward fulfilling our shared purpose.

Since preparing the first few hundred meals in Puerto Rico, WCK teams have served meals to people recovering from crisis every single day. Hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, and volcano eruptions took the team across the world, growing in knowledge and capacity with each crisis. Initially responding to just natural disasters, WCK quickly expanded the definition of disasters to which we respond—providing nourishing meals for refugees arriving at the US border after fleeing violence and extreme poverty, Venezuelan families lacking access to food in their own neighborhoods, heroic hospital staff working nonstop in the uncertainty of a global pandemic, and Ukrainian families living through an unthinkable invasion and the constant threat of attack. All of this work is made possible by working with communities wherever WCK teams go—over and over again, WCK sees the best of humanity show up in the worst of times.

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,

UNRWA has effectively ensured a higher quality of life, health and education for this refugee population.

In January, 2024, the US withdrew funding for UNRWA and started a vicious propaganda campaign following unverified allegations that 12, out of over 13,000 employees may have been involved in the events that took place on October 7th. 

UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN Member States. The Agency’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance, including in times of armed conflict.

Following the 1948 War, UNRWA was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees. The Agency began operations on 1 May 1950.

In the absence of a solution to the Palestine refugee problem, the General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA's mandate, most recently extending it until 30 June 2026.

My Nominations

There are hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals, including doctors, nurses, journalists, photographers, and all kinds of activists who are doing incredible work, some risking their lives and many their reputations against powerful, violent forces of domination. Please submit names in the comments.

Standing Together –

I have heard them speak several times over the years. They are very appealing, endearing and powerful. I hope that their members and people like them become the source of new leadership, necessary to emerge from the current horrors and to allow for healing. Sally Albed, a Palestinian Citizen of Israel, was elected to City Council in Haifa.

Standing Together is a progressive grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel against the occupation and for peace, equality, and social justice. We know that the majority have far more in common than that which sets us apart and only a tiny minority benefits from the status quo. The future that we want — peace and independence for Israelis and Palestinians, full equality for everyone in this land, and true social, economic, and environmental justice — is possible. To achieve this future, we must stand together as a united front: Jewish and Palestinian, secular and religious, Mizrahi and Ashkenazi, rural and urban, and people of all genders and sexual orientations. As the largest Jewish-Arab grassroots movement in Israel, we are committed to creating an alternative to our existing reality and building the political strength to make this transformation possible. 

Here is a recording from April 21, 2024

Gershon Baskin – US born Israeli peace activist, journalist and hostage negotiator. I interviewed Gershon in 1997, as founder of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI).

A renowned hostage negotiator, Gershon has 18 years of experience of backchannel negotiations with Hamas leaders, Israeli Generals and others. He has been working tirelessly on negotiating and securing the acceptance of a sound, creative, strategic deal for ending the war and hostage/prisoner exchange.

Here is a recent interview and article

Jerusalem Youth Chorus See Audition on America’s Got Talent

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus is a choral and dialogue program for Palestinian and Israeli youth in Jerusalem. Our mission is to provide a space for these young people from East and West Jerusalem to grow together in song and dialogue. Through the co-creation of music and the sharing of stories, we empower youth in Jerusalem with the responsibility to speak and sing their truths, as they become leaders in their communities and inspire singers and listeners around the world to work for peace, justice, inclusion, and equality.

Our Vision

We envision a Jerusalem—and a broader Israel-Palestine—defined not by hatred, division and injustice, not by occupation, terror, and violence, but by acknowledgement of a shared connection to place, celebration of individual and collective belonging to that place, and systems that allow that belonging to be equally realized by Jews, Christians, and Muslims, Palestinians and Israelis alike. We reject attempts to pit Arabs and Jews, Israelis and Palestinians, against one another in service of systemic violence that robs all of their agency to even imagine, let alone choose, a different way. Instead, as we create a home for all in the chorus, we seek to show what Jerusalem could be - and use our songs and stories, within a broad ecosystem of change, as a catalyst to bring that future about

Breaking the Silence

Breaking the Silence is an organization of veteran soldiers who have served in the Israeli military since the start of the Second Intifada and have taken it upon themselves to expose the public to the reality of everyday life in the Occupied Territories. We endeavor to stimulate public debate about the price paid for a reality in which young soldiers face a civilian population on a daily basis, and are engaged in the control of that population’s everyday life. Our work aims to bring an end to the occupation.

I met Nadav Weiman at the J Street Conference in DC and nominated BTS for the Whistleblower Summit Shaw Marven Award for military whistleblowers. Here is Nadal’s acceptance speech.

Combatants for Peace

Combatants for Peace is a grassroots movement of Israelis and Palestinians, working together to end the occupation and bring peace, equality and freedom to our homeland. Committed to joint nonviolence since our inception, we use civil resistance, education and other creative means of activism to transform systems of oppression and build a free and peaceful future from the ground up. 

Launched in 2006, we are the only movement worldwide that was founded by former fighters on both sides of an active conflict. As a result, we were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 and 2018.

VISION: We believe in a future where all people live in peace with dignity, justice, and liberty.

MISSION: Combatants for Peace (CfP) is a joint Palestinian-Israeli community working in solidarity to end the occupation, discrimination, and oppression of all people living on this land. Guided by the values of nonviolent resistance, we are showing the world that there is another way. 

Parents Circle Families Forum

The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF) is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization of over 700 families, all of whom have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict. Moreover, the PCFF has concluded that the process of reconciliation between nations is a prerequisite to achieving a sustainable peace. The organization thus utilizes all resources available in education, public meetings and the media, to spread these ideas.  These families identified with a call to prevent bereavement , to promote dialogue,  tolerance, reconciliation and peace.  The contact with these Palestinian families came to an end with the second “Intifada” uprising.  At the same time, that is in  the year 2,000 contact was established with Palestinians from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, who in turn joined in with the activities of the Parents Circle – Families Forum. This group together with their Israeli partners, established the essence of the work of the Parents Circle today.

·      Below is a list of all previous Nobel Peace Prize winners, beginning in 1901. But first, here is an activity from my book, Living Rights: Making Human Rights Come Alive Activity Book and Journal.

ACTIVITY 12: Nobel Peace Prize Winners Activities

The Nobel prizes are named after Alfred Nobel, born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1833. He invented dynamite in 1876 as well as other explosives and amassed great wealth. When Alfred's brother Ludvig died in 1888, a French newspaper mistakenly believed it was Alfred and wrote an obituary stating, "The merchant of death is dead. … Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday." When Alfred read this he became concerned about how he would be remembered, so he established five Nobel Prizes—in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and the Nobel Peace Prize “to be given to the person or society that renders the greatest service to the cause of international brotherhood, in the suppression or reduction of standing armies, or in the establishment or furtherance of peace congresses.” The Nobel Prize for Economics was added in 1968.

Alfred Nobel died on December 10, 1896. On December 10, 1948, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 1950, the UNGA declared December 10 as Human Rights Day, on which the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in a grand ceremony in Oslo City Hall, Norway.

Go to list of Nobel Peace Prize winners in the Resource Section on page _____

·      Who won the Nobel Peace Prize the year you were born?

·      Who won the Nobel Peace Prize the years your parents and grandparents were born?

·      Are there any winners who may not have deserved this honor? Why?

·      Write a biography, report, article, poem or song about any of the Nobel Peace Prize Winners.

·      Make a list of living people you would nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

·      Make a list of people no longer living whom you believe deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.

·      How many women have won? Who was the first? How many men?

·      How many have won from each religion?

·      How many from a specific region or country?

·      List the different kinds of causes for which the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded.

·      Often the choice of a winner has a purpose of bringing attention to an issue of current concern. Consider the messages conveyed by recent choices and their success in raising consciousness.

List of All Nobel Peace Prize Winners

2023: Narges Mohammadi - Iran, “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”

2022: Ales Bialiatski, Russia and Memorial and  Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine

“The Peace Prize laureates represent civil society in their home countries. They have for many years promoted the right to criticise power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy”

2021: Maria Ressa, Philippines, and Dmitry Muratov, Russia

“for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”

2020: World Food Programme - “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict”

2019: Abiy Ahmed Ali – Ethiopian Prime Minister "for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea."

2018: Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad – A Congolese surgeon and a Yazidi activist won the prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

2017: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) – This organization is the latest among the Nobel Peace Prize winners. 2017 winner, ICAN, is a campaign that advocates the banning of nuclear weapons, particularly focusing on a nuclear weapon ban treaty.

2016: Juan Manuel Santos – Colombia has been fighting a civil war since the 1960s between the government and the FARC guerrillas. Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia’s president, led the efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in 2016 and has since continued the peace process.

2015: National Dialogue Quartet – Following the Arab Spring, protests swept across Tunisia. In the wake of the Jasmine Revolution in 2011, 4 organizations came together as the National Dialogue Quartet to come to a peaceful solution through negotiations.

2014: Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai – Both laureates were recognized for their work to alleviate the suppression of children and young people as well as their right to education. Kailash Satyarthi founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an organization that freed thousands of children in India from exploitation and provided them with an education. Meanwhile, Malala is the symbol of a strong female voice in the struggle for gender equality. She spoke out over the abuses of the Taliban regime in Pakistan for which she was attacked but survived. She continues to be a strong voice for young people. She is also in our list of most impressive female humanitarians.

2013: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons – Chemical weapons are banned globally by the Chemical Weapons Convention. However, not all parties adhere at all times. The OPCW works to advocate, promote, and support countries in eliminating chemical weapons.

2013: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons – Chemical weapons are banned globally by the Chemical Weapons Convention. However, not all parties adhere at all times. The OPCW works to advocate, promote, and support countries in eliminating chemical weapons.

2012: European Union – The European Union participates in many aspects of economic, social,

and democratic development. The organization received the Nobel Peace Prize for

“the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.”

2011: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakkol Karman – These 3 women have each contributed a great deal to the advancement of women’s rights around the world and also toward peacebuilding. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first democratically elected female President of Liberia following a prolonged civil struggle. Leymah Gbowee played a decisive role in ending the Liberian War and is today the head of the Women Peace and Security Network Africa. Meanwhile, Tawakkol Karman founded Women Journalists Without Chains to promote freedom of the press in Yemen.

2010: Liu Xiaobo – A Chinese activist, writer, and literary critic, Liu Xiaobo has dedicated most of his life to advancing human rights in China.

2009: Barack H. Obama – This is also a former President of the United States. Barack Obama was recognized for his efforts in international diplomacy and cooperation.

2008: Martti Ahtisaari – Ahtisaari is a former President of Finland. Martti Ahtisaari has an impressive record in peacebuilding around the world over the past three decades. This includes work in the former Yugoslavia, the Horn of Africa, Indonesia, Namibia, and more.

2007: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. – One of the foremost campaigners to disseminate information on the climate change, Al Gore and the International Panel on Climate Change received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to share “An Inconvenient Truth.” At Raptim, we put great value in achieving a climate-neutral world. The world in which people and organizations, especially travel management companies, try to prevent emissions as much as possible.

2006: Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank – In an effort to create economic empowerment for all levels of society, Muhammad Yunus founded the Grameen Bank. Its motto is “the Bank for the Poor.” The bank provides small, long-term loans to people who would normally not be eligible to receive a loan in order to help end the cycle of poverty.

2005: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Mohamed ElBaradei – IAEA and Mohamed ElBaradei made significant progress toward preventing the use of nuclear energy in military operations.

2004: Wangari Muta Maathai – As the first woman to pursue a doctorate in East and Central Africa, and the first female professor in Kenya, Wangari Muta Maathai played a significant role in Kenya’s democratic development and the advancement of women’s rights.

2003: Shirin Ebadi – As Iran’s first female judge, Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to advance women’s and children’s rights, and human rights in Iran overall.

2002: Jimmy Carter – This 39th President of the United States is also among the presidential Nobel Peace Prize winners. Jimmy Carter dedicated much of his career to advancing peace around the world. He made many foreign policy efforts during his presidential term. A good example is the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.

2001: United Nations (U.N.) and Kofi Annan – Founded to prevent armed conflict, the United Nations has been consistently working toward peacebuilding for decades. Kofi Annan was the UN secretary-general. He was awarded the prize for his role in revitalizing the UN and his focus on human rights.

2000: Kim Dae-jung – Former President of South Korea, Kim Dae-jung implemented the “sunshine policy” to promote a better relationship with North Korea and also worked extensively for human rights promotion in East Asia.

1999: Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF is one of the leading humanitarian organizations in the world to date. They are one of many organizations among the Nobel Peace Prize winners. They received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of their humanitarian work globally.

1998: John Hume and David Trimble – After years of violent conflict in Ireland, John Hume of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and David Trimble of the Ulster Unionist Party advanced efforts to find a peaceful solution through nonviolent negotiations.

1997: International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Jody Williams – Landmines have cost thousands of people their lives even after the conflict has passed. In 1991, ICBL started to work toward a ban on landmines, and in 1997, 120 countries became a party to a convention for the ban. Jody Williams was one of the leading voices of the campaign.

1996: Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta – Both Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta were awarded the prize for their work on advancing peace negotiations in East Timor following years of violent occupation by Indonesia.

1995: Joseph Rotblat and Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs – This is an organization led by dialogue and scientific opinion, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs works toward a world without nuclear weapons. Joseph Rotblat dedicated most of his life to negotiate nuclear disarmament.

1994: Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, and Yitzhak Rabin – Following the Oslo Accords involving negotiations between Palestine and Israel, these three men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their leadership of the process. Yasser Arafat as the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Shimon Peres as the Foreign Minister of Israel, and Yitzhak Rabin as the Prime Minister of Israel.

1993: Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk – Seen today as the symbol of peaceful conflict resolution, Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the apartheid regime in South Africa. His foundation in mentioned is several of our lists such as Faith-Based Organizations and NGOs fighting poverty. He worked together with South Africa’s former president, Frederik Willem de Klerk.

1992: Rigoberta Menchú Tum – The “discovery” of America meant much suffering for the indigenous peoples of the content. Rigoberta Menchú Tum was part of the peaceful negotiations as a representative of the indigenous people between the government of Guatemala and opposing parties.

1991: Aung San Suu Kyi – As the daughter of Aung San, the liberation movement leader in Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi led the opposition of military government in Myanmar with the hope to achieve democracy. She has lived most of her life under house arrest but has continued peaceful negotiations.

1990: Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev – The former leader of the USSR, Gorbachev was also the last one. He introduced several important reforms to open Russia’s Iron Curtain. Gorbachev was one of the key figures in the fall of communism in most of Europe.

1989: The 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) – The Dalai Lama is the Tibetian Buddhist spiritual leader who has spent most of his life in exile in India. Since 1959, the Dalai Lama has been leading nonviolent opposition of the Chinese occupation in Tibet.

1988: United Nations Peacekeeping Forces – At the time of receiving the award, the UN Peacekeeping Forceshad sent missions to the Middle East, Kashmir, Cyprus, Congo, and West New Guinea. The deployments involved over half a million men and women from 53 states. Here is a list of NGOs keeping peace.

1987: Oscar Arias Sánchez – The former President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias Sánchez worked extensively to promote peace negotiations in Central America. His efforts led to signing an accord in Guatemala in August of 1987.

1986: Elie Wiesel – Chairman of “The President’s Commission on the Holocaust,” Elie Wiesel was a Jewish author and the spokesperson whose purpose was to tell the world about the atrocities of the Holocaust.

1985: International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War – Founded in 1980, this organization works to inform the world on the potential consequence of the use of nuclear weapons in order to prevent nuclear war.

1984: Desmond Mpilo Tutu – He was the former Secretary-General of the South African Council of Churches (S.A.C.C.). Desmond Mpilo Tutu was recognized for his strong yet peaceful stance against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

1983: Lech Walesa – A trade union leader, Lech Walesa lead some of the negotiations with Poland’s government to create a union and fair rights for workers.

1982: Alva Myrdal and Alfonso García Robles – First a writer, second a diplomat, and third a former Swedish cabinet minister. Alva Myrdal took a strong role in persuading nuclear disarmament. Similarly, Alfonso García Robles, a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly on disarmament, led the agreement on nuclear disarmament around the world, but particularly in Latin America.

1981: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – The UNHCR has a long history of supporting refugees, their relocation, and their rights. In 1981, the Nobel Peace Prize particularly recognized their efforts in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

1980: Adolfo Pérez Esquivel – Argentina faced a violent military dictatorship for 5 years. Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was one of the leaders in promoting human rights during this time. He founded SERPAJ.

1979: Mother Teresa – As legendary religious leader, Mother Theresa is of course among the Nobel Peace Prize winners. She was recognized by the Peace Prize for her humanitarian work around the world. On 4 September 2016, she was recognized by the Catholic Church as a saint.

1978: Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat and Menachem Begin – Former President of Egypt, Mohamed Anwar al-Sadatand former Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin led the treaty negotiations to advance peace between the two countries.

1977: Amnesty International – The Nobel Peace Prize recognized the organization for its work on uncovering violations of human rights around the world. Amnesty International continues this

work today.

1976: Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan – These two women founded the Northern Ireland Peace Movement (later called Peace People), in order to promote negotiations and peace among the two factions fighting in Northern Ireland and stop the senseless violence.

1975: Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov – Although the creator of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, he was also a strong opponent of the abuses of power in the Soviet Union. Sakharov was not permitted to travel to receive his Nobel Prize.

1974: Seán MacBride and Eisaku Sato – Both men were recognized for their advancement of human rights and fight for nuclear disarmament. Seán MacBride was one of the founders of Amnesty International, while Eisaku Sato was the former Prime Minister of Japan.

1973: Henry A. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho – These two men who were on opposite sides of the violent conflict in Vietnam were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their negotiations. Henry Kissinger was the US Secretary of State, and Le Duc Tho represented the Vietnamese government.

1971: Willy Brandt – Former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Willy Brandt played an important role in restructuring Germany after the World War as well as conducting negotiations with the Soviet Union and Poland.

1970: Norman E. Borlaug – A specialist in food production, Norman E. Borlaug was the leader of “green revolutions” around the world. He contributed to Mexico’s ability to produce a self-sustaining amount of wheat for its growing population.

1969: International Labour Organization – As a commemorative award, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee awarded the ILO the prize in recognition of Léon Jouhaux, who received the prize 50 years earlier. The ILO works with governments, the civil society and the private sector to set out policies, guidelines and standards for decent work around the world. This includes their active work on promoting the rights of migrant workers through research, implementing partners, political reform and the implementation of the Fair Migration Agenda.

1968: René Cassin – Former President of the European Court for Human Rights, René Cassin, was one of the leading voices in developing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

1965: United Nations Children’s Fund – A global promoter of children’s rights, UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their particular contribution to solidarity between nations.

1964: Martin Luther King Jr. – An iconic figure in history, Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership of civil rights movements for African Americans in the United States.

1963: International Committee of the Red Cross and League of Red Cross Societies – In recognition of 100 years since Henri Dunant founded the Red Cross, both the International Committee of Red Cross and what is today known as the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Both organizations provide humanitarian aid around the world.

1962: Linus Carl Pauling – One of the leading scientific voices in nuclear disarmament, Linus Carl Pauling worked with the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs and drafted the Hiroshima Appeal.

1961: Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld – The second Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Hammarskjöld was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously. He was recognized for his dedicated work to strengthen the United Nations and its influence in peacebuilding

1960: Albert John Lutuli – Former President of the African National Congress, Albert John Lutuli was recognized for his peaceful leadership against the racial segregation regime in South Africa.

1959: Philip J. Noel-Baker – Mr. Noel-Baker was a member of the UK Parliament. He dedicated much of his career to promoting peace around the world and the struggle toward disarmament.

1958: Georges Pire – A Belgian Dominican priest, Georges Pire lead efforts to help European refugees after World War II.

1957: Lester Bowles Pearson – Former Secretary of State for External Affairs of Canada, Lester Bowles Pearson led a number of peace negotiations and talks around the world during a lifelong dedicated career to global peace.

1954: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – The UNHCR has a long history of supporting refugees, their relocation, and their rights. In 1954, the Nobel Peace Prize particularly focused on highlighting the need for funding for refugee support.

1953: George Catlett Marshall – Originator of the “Marshall Plan,” George Catlett Marshall played a key role in designing an economic plan for Europe after WWII.

1952: Albert Schweitzer – Albert Schweitzer was recognized for his humanitarian work in Gabon. He founded a medical center and helped the local population.

1951: Léon Jouhaux – During his extensive political career, Léon Jouhaux was particularly recognized for his work on social equality around the world.

1950: Ralph Bunche – The first African American to be awarded the Peace Prize, Ralph Bunche was recognized for his contribution in mediation and negotiation for peaceful solutions in the Middle East.

1949: Lord (John) Boyd Orr of Brechin – The first Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Lord Boyd was awarded the prize for his commitment to world peace and his participation in the formation of FAO.

1947: Friends Service Council (The Quakers) and American Friends Service Committee (The Quakers) – These two sister organizations, one from the UK and the other from the United States, were awarded a joint Nobel Peace Prize for their humanitarian work and peaceful opposition to armed conflict.

1946: Emily Greene Balch and John Raleigh Mott – Both Emily Greene Balch and John Raleigh Mott dedicated most of their lives to the pursuit of peace and reconciliation. Emily Greene Balch was the leader of the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom, while John Raleigh Mott was General Secretary of the YMCA World Committee

1945: Cordell Hull – Former US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull played an important role in forming the United Nations.

1944: International Committee of the Red Cross – The second Nobel Peace Prize received by the ICRC was an acknowledgment of their word during WWII, particularly to protect the rights of prisoners of war.                   

1938: Nansen International Office for Refugees – The Nansen International Office for Refugees helped Armenian refugees fleeing Turkey in the 1930s and later provided support to refugees from Central and Southeastern Europe, France, Syria, and China.

1937: Cecil of Chelwood, Viscount (Lord Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne Cecil) – Founder  and President of the International Peace Campaign, Cecil of Chelwood was one of the prominent figures in creating the League of Nations as well as strong efforts toward peace and disarmament.

1936: Carlos Saavedra Lamas – Former Foreign Minister of Argentina, Carlos Saavedra Lamas played an important role as a mediator in the conflict between Paraguay and Bolivia, as well as leading Argentina’s participation in the League of Nations.

1935: Carl von Ossietzky – A strong voice opposing the Nazi regime in Germany, Carl von Ossietzky was one of the first to warn the world of the potential threat that the German government presented to the world at the time.

1934: Arthur Henderson – With a lifelong political career in support of democracy, Arthur Henderson was one of the leaders in organizing the League of Nations disarmament conference.

1933: Sir Norman Angell (Ralph Lane) – Sir Norman Angell received the Nobel Peace Prize for his book. The book is called “The Great Illusion” and analyzes war and promotes peaceful coexistence.

1931: Jane Addams and Nicholas Murray Butler – Jane Addams founded the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom in 1919 and was a strong activist against war. Former President of Columbia University, Nicholas Murray Butler is credited with his strong support for strengthening international law.

1930: Lars Olof Jonathan (Nathan) Söderblom – A Swedish bishop, Nathan Soderblom promoted peace around the world. He did this from the perspective of the Christian church and advocated for an international Christian platform for peace.

1929: Frank Billings Kellogg – Frank Billings Kellogg was one of the creators of the Briand-Kellogg Pact. Most countries signed the pact in 1928 which prohibited wars.

1927: Ferdinand Buisson and Ludwig Quidde – Both Ferdinand Buisson of France and Ludwig Quidde of Germany were strong activists against the atrocities of WWI. They also participated in a number of peace conferences and promoted peace through their political work.

1926: Aristide Briand and Gustav Stresemann – Aristide Briand of France and Gustav Stresemann of Germany signed the Locarno Pact in 1925, signaling reconciliation between France and Germany after WWI.

1925: Sir Austen Chamberlain and Charles Gates Dawes – Similar to the 1926 winners, Sir Austen Chamberlain of the UK and Charles Gates Dawes of the USA received the prize for their work on reconciling the relationship between Germany and France after WWI.

1922: Fridtjof Nansen – Nansen was the first High Commissioner for Refugees of the League of Nations. Fridtjof Nansen supported refugees around the world and saved many lives. He originated the “Nansen Passports,” which allowed stateless men and women to cross borders.

1921: Karl Hjalmar Branting and Christian Lous Lange – Former Swedish Prime Minister Karl Hjalmar Brantingand Norway’s Christian Lous Lange shared the 1921 Nobel Peace Prize which recognized their important contribution in creating the League of Nations.

1920: Léon Victor Auguste Bourgeois – The League of Nations was modeled on the ideas originally proposed by Bourgeois during WWI. He had an extensive political career with the French Government and later the League of Nations itself.

1919: Thomas Woodrow Wilson – Also a former President of the United States. Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations.

1917: International Committee of the Red Cross – The first Nobel Peace Prize won by the ICRC was for their humanitarian work during WWI.

1913: Henri La Fontaine – Henri La Fontaine also dedicated much of his career to promoting world peace. He held the presidential post at the International Peace Bureau and organized a number of peace conferences.

1912: Elihu Root – Former US Secretary of State, Elihu Root originated a number of arbitration treaties and was the first president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

1911: Tobias Michael Carel Asser and Alfred Hermann Fried – Both Tobias Michael Carel Asser and Alfred Hermann Fried were awarded the Peace Prize for their work on advancing peace around the world. Mr. Asser was the co-founder of the Institute of International Law. Mr. Fried founded a peace publication Die Friedenswarte.

1910: Permanent International Peace Bureau – One of the oldest peace organizations in the world, the International Peace Bureau was founded in 1891 and today has more than 170 member organizations.

1909: Auguste Marie François Beernaert and Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d’Estournelles de Constant, Baron de Constant de Rebecque – Both Beernaert and d’Esturnelles are also among the Nobel Peace Prize winners. They worked tirelessly to advance peace and reach agreements between nations to maintain it.

1908: Klas Pontus Arnoldson and Fredrik Bajer – Klas Pontus Arnoldson was recognized for his important contribution in mediation between Norway and Sweden, and also his strong support for international cooperation. Fredrik Bajer dedicated his life to peace promotion and to ensure gender equality.

1907: Ernesto Teodoro Moneta and Louis Renault – Ernesto Teodoro Moneta stood out as the leader of the Italian peace movement. Meanwhile, Louis Renault was recognized for his participation in the 1899 and 1907 peace conferences.

1906: Theodore Roosevelt – Theodore Roosevelt was also a President of the United States. Roosevelt received the Peace Prize for having negotiated peace in the Russo-Japanese war in 1904-5.

1905: Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner, née Countess Kinsky von Chinic und Tettau – Not only was she the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, but Bertha von Suttner was also one of the most influential peace advocates of her time. She wrote the book Lay Down Your Arms in 1889.

1904: Institute of International Law – Founded in 1873, the Institute of International Law was the first organization to have authority over international law by which states had to abide.

1903: William Randal Cremer – William Randal Cremer dedicated his life to mediating negotiations during conflict times. Cremer is particularly recognized for his work in organizing the Inter-Parliamentary Union in 1889.

1902: Élie Ducommun and Charles Albert Gobat – Élie Ducommun was recognized for his work as the Honorary Secretary of the International Peace Bureau. This was a role he held from the organizations founding until he passed. Similarly, Charles Albert Gobat worked extensively in the peace movement and was a secretary general of the IPB.

1901: Jean Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy – Jean Henry Dunant founded the International Committee of Red Cross in 1863 and originated the Geneva Convention a year later. Meanwhile, Frédéric Passy founded the first French Peace Society. The two men were the first Nobel Peace Prize winners.