OSLO: The winner of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday October 11 in Oslo. Here’s an overview of how the price works:
Who can win?
According to the wishes of the Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, the prize should be awarded to the person “who has done the most or best to advance camaraderie between nations, the abolition or reduction of armies permanent, and the creation and promotion of peace congresses”.
Thousands of people can nominate names: members of governments and parliaments; current heads of state; university professors of history, social sciences, law and philosophy; and former Nobel Peace Prize winners, among others.
This year there are 286 candidates, although the full list will be kept in a vault for 50 years.
Among the oddsmakers’ favorites this year is the late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who died in custody in February. But this is not possible since he cannot receive the award posthumously.
Another favorite of bookmakers is Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but he is also unlikely as he is a wartime leader.
Who decides?
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, made up of five people appointed by the Norwegian parliament, is the arbiter. Members are often retired politicians, but not always. The current committee is led by the head of the Norwegian branch of PEN International, a free speech advocacy group.
They are all nominated by Norwegian political parties and their nominations reflect the balance of power in the Norwegian parliament.
How do they decide?
Applications close January 31. Committee members can submit their own nominations no later than the first committee meeting in February.
They discuss all the applications, then establish a shortlist. Each candidate is then evaluated and reviewed by a group of permanent advisors and other experts.
The committee meets approximately once a month to discuss applications. They usually make their decision at the final committee meeting, which usually takes place in early October.
The committee seeks consensus on its selection. Otherwise, the decision is taken by majority.
The last time a member resigned in protest was in 1994, when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shared the prize with Israelis Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.
Who is nominated?
Although the full list of nominations is kept secret, nominators are free to disclose it.
Among the names revealed this year are the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, Pope Francis and British naturalist David Attenborough.
Experts who track the prize say this year’s prize could highlight the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the International Court of Justice and U.N. chief Antonio Guterres.
What does the winner win?
A medal, a diploma, 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.1 million) and immediate global attention.
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the 1984 laureate, said becoming a Nobel laureate was a double-edged sword. “One day, no one was listening. The next day, I was an oracle,” he is quoted as saying in his authorized biography.
When does the announcement and ceremony take place?
The announcement will be made at 11:00 CET (09:00 GMT) on Friday, October 11 at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo by the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Joergen Watne Frydnes.
The ceremony will take place at Oslo City Hall on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
