An Explanation of the Nobel Peace Prize

The Story Behind the Famous Nobel Prize for Peace

Oct 12, 2009

In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. This prestigious award has a long and illustrious history.

There have been a number of famous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. A small list of Nobel winners includes Amnesty International, The Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the United Nations and Al Gore. The 2009 winner was none other than U.S. President Barack Obama. Although there has been some controversy over Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, it is not the first time a nomination or a win has caused argument. The history of the Nobel Prize for Peace is varied and interesting.

Birth of the Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Prize for Peace came about through the work of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish Chemist and Engineer. He created the Nobel Prizes for Chemistry, Physics and Peace posthumously through his will. His successful career paved the way for a fortune to be spent on the awards that now carry his name.

The Nobel Peace Prize has since become the most famous of the three Nobel Prizes. Each year, the nominations and winners are closely scrutinized to see if they are worthy of the title. There are also some with the opinion that the Nobel Prize for Peace is used to influence the behavior of key personnel on the world's stage.

The Nomination and Selection Process of the Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Prize for Peace nominations and winners are decided by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. They invite notable persons to help decide on who will be nominated and who will be awarded the title. There are guidelines as to whom is eligible to nominate others for an award. To nominate someone for the Nobel Peace Prize, a person must be a member of the government, associated with the Nobel Committee in some way, someone of considerable education or associated with the European system of Justice.

The list of nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize are then considered by the committee, and a shorter list of nominees is chosen. Advisers to the committee have some time to construct reports and argue their cases. A great deal of thought is placed into the decision.

The Nobel Peace Prize

After a winner has been chosen, the prize is awarded by the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. This is done in the presence of the King of Norway. The recipient is awarded a Diploma with their title, a Medal and a monetary award of approximately $1 Million.

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The copyright of the article An Explanation of the Nobel Peace Prize in Peace Making is owned by Stuart Cooke. Permission to republish An Explanation of the Nobel Peace Prize in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.