The Criteria for a Noble Peace Prize
Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, created the Nobel Peace Prize in his will when he died in 1895. Historians believe Nobel left this in his will as a way to foster peace after his invention advanced military arms, according to Francis Sejersted of the Nobel Prize Institute.
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Identification
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The criteria for awarding a Nobel Peace Prize are very loose. Alfred Nobel only left instructions to award the Peace Prize to people who benefit mankind, help reduce the size of armies and promote friendship between nations.
Misconceptions
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The Nobel Prize Committee need not confer the award to single individuals, but may also give it to an institution or association.
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Fun Fact
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Between 1901 and 2009, only 90 Nobel Peace Prizes were awarded, according to the Nobel Prize Institute. During this time,19 years saw no awards conferred because the prize committee felt no works warranted it, especially during times of war.
Features
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Nobel Peace Prize winners can come from all walks of life, from private individuals to politicians. Barack Obama, for example, won 2009's Nobel Peace Prize for his attempts to increase dialogue among nations and reduce nuclear arms.
Potential
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The Nobel Peace Prize Committee appears to be changing the requirements for the prize to more than just arms reductions and peace talks and to include more women, according to National Public Radio. In 2004, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai won the prize for her dedication to sustainable development. In 2004, Muslim woman's rights advocate Shirin Ebadi won it after her imprisonment for speaking against her government.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Tony
