The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize went to a Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors called Nihon Hidankyo.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has recognized the hibakusha, or survivors of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for their efforts to eradicate nuclear weapons from the planet.
According to Joergen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Nobel Committee, the group “contributed greatly to the establishment of the nuclear taboo.”.
Mr. Frydnes applauded the group’s use of witness testimony to ensure that nuclear weapons must never be used again while cautioning that the “nuclear taboo” was now “under pressure.”.
The Nobel Peace Prize, established in 1956, sends survivors worldwide to share their testimonies of the “atrocious damage” and suffering caused by nuclear weapons. The organization began almost a decade after the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed around 140,000 people in 1945. Toshiyuki Mimaki, the co-head of the group, criticised the idea that nuclear weapons bring peace, stating that they can be used by terrorists.
The prize, which includes a diploma, a gold medal, and a sum of $1m (£765,800), will be presented at a ceremony in Oslo in December, marking the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The group has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times in the past, including in 2005 when it received a special mention by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
The decision to recognize Nihon Hidankyo means the Nobel committee has steered away from more controversial nominees for the peace prize. There had been widespread speculation that the United Nations agency supporting Palestinians – UNRWA – was being considered for the prize. Nine of its members were fired for alleged involvement in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, last year. More than 12,000 people had signed a petition urging the committee not to award UNRWA the prize.
The Nobel committee’s decision may also focus global attention on the threat of nuclear conflict overshadowing the fighting in both Ukraine and the Middle East. Russia’s leaders have repeatedly hinted that they may be ready to use tactical nuclear weapons if western allies increase their support for Ukraine in a way Russia considers unacceptable. In the Middle East, the subtext for much of Israel’s strategy is the fear that Iran is seeking nuclear capability, something Tehran denies.
This year’s peace prize had 286 nominations, comprising 197 individuals and 89 organizations. Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi won the prize in 2023 for her work fighting the oppression of women in Iran.
(BBC)
