The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Japan’s campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
On October 11, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced its decision to award the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of atomic bomb survivors in Japan, for their efforts to “create a world without nuclear weapons.”
The Nobel Committee praised Nihon Hidankyo’s efforts “for demonstrating through the testimonies of witnesses that nuclear weapons should never be used again.”
The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize belongs to Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo organization. (Photo: X).
This organization, also known as Hibakusha, was established by survivors of the atomic bombings carried out by the United States on the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
“One day, the survivors of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will no longer be witnesses to history. However, with a strong culture of remembrance and ongoing commitment, new generations in Japan are continuing the experiences and messages of these witnesses,” the Nobel Committee stated during the announcement.
The Nobel Committee commended Nihon Hidankyo for helping to uphold the taboo against nuclear weapons, which the committee described as “a prerequisite for a peaceful future for humanity.”
According to the Nobel Committee, the decision to award Nihon Hidankyo highlights an encouraging reality that no nuclear weapons have been used in warfare for nearly 80 years.
However, the committee acknowledged that this year’s award comes at a time when “the taboo against the use of nuclear weapons is under significant pressure.”
In announcing the award, the chairman of the Nobel Committee stated that “the stories and testimonies of Hibakusha are an important reminder that the use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable.”
In 2022, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian women’s rights activist Narges Mohammadi.
The Nobel Prize was established 120 years ago by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, awarding prizes in the fields of Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, and Peace, with the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences added later.
The award includes a cash prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately 1 million USD).
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