The True Nobel Candidates 2016 Letter Feb. 2, 2016 from the Nobel Peace Prize Watch to the Nobel Committee: Dear Kaci Kullmann Five, Thorbjørn Jagland, Berit Reiss-Andersen, Henrik Syse, Inger- QUALIFIED CANDIDATES - THE 2016 NOBEL FOR THE CHAMPIONS OF PEACE Read the full letter here The Nobel Peace Prize Watch guidelines for screening nominations, see here LIST – QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2016 Article 9, Japan Bolkovac, Kathryn, USA Bryn, Steinar, Norway Tony de Brum and the (Marshall Islands) legal team, Republic of the Marshall Islands Falk, Richard, USA Ferencz, Benjamin, USA Galtung, Johan, Norway Johnson, Rebecca, UK Malalai Joya, Afghanistan David Krieger, USA Lindner, Evelin, main basis Norway Federico Mayor and the culture of peace initiative, Spain Hidankyo, Nihon Japan Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, NAPF, USA Pace, Bill, USA Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) Roy, Arundhati, India Snowden, Edward, USA Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
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Nominated by prof. Terje Einarsen, Uni of Bergen and prof. Aslak Syse, Uni of Oslo: |
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Kathryn Bolkovac, USA
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Arundhati Roy, India |
Edward Snowden, USA (in exile)
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"Arundhati Roy is an Indian author and activist, and one of the most inspiring and powerful critics in our time of modern military power, nuclear weapons and neo-imperialism. Roy's life and work have a clear international dimension, fighting against global injustice with the destructive tug of war over power and influence at its center. Her strong warning against nuclear weapons in the text "The End of Imagination" indicates just how self-destructive and irrational man has become in the chase for control and power. She writes: "The nuclear bomb is the most anti-democratic, anti-national, anti-human, evil thing that man has ever made." In "War is Peace", she writes about the contradictory idea that peace can be achieved through military means; War is not peace - peace is peace. …. " The three… stood up to defend democracy, peace, and justice against the threats that the military always entails, even in cases where the intention may be good. This is a very important focus in our time, where the future will be characterized by major global challenges requiring a massive common preference of peaceful means. [A Nobel] to Snowden, Bolkovac and Roy will be a prize in accordance with Alfred Nobel's will, prescribing that the prize shall be awarded to champions of peace who promote global cooperation (the fraternity of nations) on a world order that seeks peace by peaceful means. Snowden, Bolkovac and Roy come from different backgrounds and the peace work they engage in takes different forms. Together they show the need for a far more demilitarized world order building on morality, solidarity, courage and justice." Full nomination text, in Norwegian, in English translation, Bolkovac was nominated by Prof. Syse for 2015, see here, Snowden by Prof. Einarsen, see here. Arundathi Roy is a new (first time(?)) nomination.
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Nominated by Snežana Jonica, MP, Montenegro (also nominated in 2015): Steinar Bryn, Norway
"Their work for peace and reconciliation started when Sarajevo was still under siege in 1995. The Olympic Connection between Sarajevo (1984) and Lillehammer (1994) opened doors and made it possible for the Nansen Academy in Lillehammer to enter the war zone in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [Nils Christie, in 2015:] See the full nomination here.
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Tony de Brum and the (Marshall Islands) legal team, Republic of the Marshall Islands "On April 24, 2014, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, RMI, filed landmark lawsuits against the nine nuclear-armed nations for failing to comply with their obligations under international law to pursue negotiations for the worldwide elimination of nuclear weapons. As the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation [another 2016 nominee] underlines: "The Republic of the Marshall Islands acts for the seven billion of us who live on this planet to end the nuclear weapons threat hanging over all humanity. Everyone has a stake in this." RMI's former Foreign Minister Tony de Brum has played the key political role in gaining support and approval for this initiative." See the full nomination here.
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Nominated by Marit Arnstad, Member of the Norwegian Parliament (also in 2015): Daniel Ellsberg, USA
«…. Ellsberg is an inspiring example of how authoritative and responsible citizen can influence world-historical events. He was willing to pay a high price to share this information publicly – and he contributed significantly to the ending of one of most dismal chapters of the 20th century war history. The fact that Ellsberg is a citizen of one of the world’s most powerful nations adds a particular dimension to his contribution to peace. In addition to this we have Ellsberg’s lifelong and extraordinarily meritorious work for peace and disarmament, where he represents a comprehensive movement that over the years has contributed to peace and détente. He has carried this work forward with undiminished strength during 2015. See the nomination here (in Norwegian) and here (in English translation).
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Nominated by Director Jan Oberg, Transnational Foundation, Sweden and Prof Farzeen Nasri, Ventura College, USA (nominated also in 2015): Richard Falk, USA
A legal scholar working with world order models, global governance, nuclear disarmament to realize UN Charter and peace by peaceful means "I noticed with considerable satisfaction the emphasis the Nobel Committee chair, Kaci Kullmann Five, placed on Alfred Nobel and his will in her opening words in the Nobel speech on Dec. 10, 2015. The reference to dialogue, negotiations, and disarmament as central aspects of Nobel's peace vision was in fine harmony with Nobel´s specific recipe for preventing wars by global co-operation on disarmament. Professor Richard A. Falk, USA, is a world renown scholar who has invested unique skills and energy in a life-long commitment to Nobel's stated goals through consistent work with world order models as well as global governance based on the rule of law and a strong democratic civil society. His immense production - based on both academic and on-the-ground work - directly points to the many opportunities for creating a world in which there are no nuclear weapons and most conflicts are solved in adherence with the UN Charter's highest norm (Article 1) that peace shall be created by peaceful means - a term which by definition implies nuclear abolition, de-militarisation and the achievement of the world community's decade old commitment to general and complete disarmament. Referring to and repeating earlier nominations by late professor Ståle Eskeland, Oslo, I would like therefore to nominate Richard Falk for the Nobel Peace Prize 2016.» Read the nomination letter here
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Benjamin Ferencz, USA |
Bill Pace, USA |
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To acknowledge the role of civil society organizations in developing international law on the prosecution of war crimes: «Ben Ferenz ... served as Prosecutor for the United States in the Nuremberg war crimes trials after World War II. He later became Adjunct Professor at Pace Law School in White Plains, New York, USA. Books he has authored include Defining International Aggression: The Search for World Peace (Oceana, 1975), Less Then Slaves: Jewish Forced Labor and the Quest for Compensation (Harvard, 1979), An International Criminal Court: A Step Toward World Peace (Oceana, 1980), Enforcing International Law: A Way to World Peace (Oceana, 1983), A Common Sense Guide to World Peace (Oceana, 1985), Planethood (with Ken Keyes, Jr., Vision, 1988, 1991), World Security for the 21st Century (ed., Oceana, 1991), and Global Survival: Security through the Security Council (Oceana, 1994). There are also German-language versions of some of these books. Mr. Ferencz worked behind the scenes with several organizations such as the Coalition for the International Criminal Court in order to convene [and] actively participated in the Rome Conference itself and ...has also given many lectures and participated in many conferences about the ICC." «Bill Pace ... the Executive Director of the World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy (WFM-IGP) and Convenor of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC). He was a member of the Organizing Committee which convened the Hague Appeal for Peace Conference, the largest international peace conference in history on May 11-15, 1999, in The Hague, Netherlands. Nearly 10,000 people from over 100 countries responded to an appeal launched by the International Peace Bureau (IPB), the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA), and the World Federalist Movement (WFM). Then he led the formation of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) which played a major behind-the-scenes role in bringing about the Rome Conference and the adoption of the Rome Treaty. His international coalition led the effort to get national ratifications from 60 countries so that the treaty went into effect in July, 2002, much more rapidly than anticipated. Now 123 countries have ratified the Rome Statute, many because of the efforts of the CICC under his leadership. Mr. Pace also has given many lectures and participated in many conferences about the ICC. See the full nomination here Benjamin Ferencz also renominated for 2016 by Prof Hope May, Central Michigan Uni, "Ferencz has passionately worked to make this framework become a reality. At 95, he reminds us of the work that we have yet to accomplish – such as criminalizing aggressive war - and he appeals to young people to continue this intergenerational project. For these efforts Ferencz deserves to be recognized by the world’s population and to be seen as a most ardent worker in the full awakening of the human conscience." See the full nomination here
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Nominated by Richard Falk, Princeton, USA: Johan Galtung, Norway A prize to honor the pioneer of peace research and a tireless life in develping theory and practice for peace by non-military means "For decades Johan Galtung has been an inspirational presence in the field of peace studies broadly conceived. His exceptional vitality and mobility has brought this message of understanding and insight into peace with justice to the four corners of the planet in a remarkable fashion that is truly unique in its educational and activist impact. It is no exaggeration to write that he invented and established the field of peace studies as a respected subject of study in institutions of higher learning throughout the world. As a consequence of his charismatic speaking ability and seminal writing Johan Galtung has reached the hearts and minds of thousands of people throughout the world, conveying the belief above all that peace is possible through the dedicated efforts of ordinary people if they are work to change the political climate sufficiently to educate and excert pressure on the political leaders of the world as well as on global media. Read the full nomination here.
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Nominated by Giulio Marcon, Member of the Italian House of Parliament:
Professor Galtung's unique imprint on the study of conflict and peace stems from the combination of systematic scientific inquiry and the Gandhian ethics of peaceful means and harmony. This has enabled him to communicate and implement shared change within the most different cultural and religious contexts: a lesson which is the key also for the solution of our common XXI century global challenges. A truly extraordinarily creative, productive and global life at the service of peace would deserve the recognition of the Nobel Peace Prize" See the full nomination here
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Nominated by Kazuko SHIOJIRI (Ph.D.), Professor, Tokyo International University:
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Nihon Hidankyo, Japan |
Article 9, Japan |
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"After the atomic-bomb attacks in 1945 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, ‘Nihon Hidankyo’ has been acting to appeal to whole the world inhuman nature of nuclear weapons and necessity of peace to prevent any kinds of war for humanity.» "Since its foundation in 2004, ‘Kyujo-no-Kai’ has been appealing to the world spirit of the Article 9 of Constitution of Japan which advocates absolute abandonment of the war, emphasizing significance of peace for existence of humanity in the future." See the whole nomination here.
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Nominated by Mairead Maguire, Northern Ireland, Nobel laureate: Rebecca Johnson, UK
"Although she became a well-respected writer and teacher on disarmament and arms control, Rebecca never abandoned her roots in nonviolent activism for peace, human rights and justice, working particularly to empower women and support women. Disappointed after her strategies with the New Agenda Coalition to obtain consensus agreement among NPT states for the Thirteen Steps to Nuclear disarmament in 2000 came to naught, Rebecca moved to Scotland in 2006-8, as co-organizer of Faslane 365, a grassroots initiative to mobilise groups of people from all walks of life and all parts of the world to demonstrate their opposition to Trident renewal with nonviolent peace actions at the Faslane nuclear base. From 2009, Rebecca took the lead in civil society efforts to reframe nuclear disarmament as a humanitarian imperative, serving for some years as the Co-Chair of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and giving civil society’s closing statement at the ground-breaking Oslo Conference on the Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons in March 2013. Full nomination letter, here
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Nominated by Prof. Berit von der Lippe, BI (Norwegian Business School), Oslo: Malalai Joya, Afghanistan "Malalai Joya stands out with remarkable intelligence, integrity and courage as a woman in Afghanistan who has spoken against the dominating role of warlords in Afghan politics – with whom US/NATO/ISAF collaborated from day one October 2001. She has thus underlined the evident hypocrisy of Western ‘saving and liberating Afghan women’ and has been an outspoken person against Western ambitions to interfere and dominate Third World countries.
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Nominated by Prof Phillip C. Naylor, Marquette University Kathy Kelly, USA
"Kathy Kelly (born 1952)[1][2] is an American peace activist, pacifist and author, one of the founding members of Voices in the Wilderness, and currently a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. As part of peace team work in several countries, she has traveled to Iraq twenty-six times, notably remaining in combat zones during the early days of both US-Iraq wars. Her recent travel has focused on Afghanistan and Gaza, along with domestic protests against U.S. drone policy. She has been arrested more than sixty times at home and abroad, and written of her experiences among targets of U.S. military bombardment and inmates of U.S. prisons.» (Wikipedia - further details her peace activism) See the full nomination here
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Nominated by Adj. Prof Bill Wickersham, Uni of Missouri (also in 2015):
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David Krieger, USA
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Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, NAPF, USA |
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A valiant fighter, educator and organizer for international co-operation on disarmament and abolition of nuclear weapons, "Under Dr. Krieger’s guidance, NAPF’s Peace Leadership Program has grown into a recognized international program for peace. Directed by Paul K. Chappell, a West Point graduate, and Iraq war veteran, peace leaders are given the tools and training needed to ... achieve peace. During 2015, this program inspired more than 5000 people. Critical to the cause of nuclear abolition is the education and involvement of the next generation. NAPF’s vital Internship Program exposes young people to the fields of peace and security, non-profit management, and careers with conscience. Interns gain hands-on experience working with a non-profit educational and advocacy organization. ... Countless interns learn from their time at NAPF that their path in life will involve making the world a more peaceful place. Dr. Krieger ... has also championed peace and nuclear disarmament in many other organizations. He is a co-founder of Abolition 2000 ... of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES) and has served as the Chair of its Executive Committee. He is a founder of the Middle Powers Initiative and has served as the Chair of its Executive Committee. He is a Councilor on the World Future Council and serves as Co-Chair of its Peace and Disarmament Commission. See the full nomination here.
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Nominated by prof. Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Uni of Oslo (also in 2015): Evelin Lindner, Norway "An underlying theme in Lindner’s recent work is that the culture of competing for domination by all means, including armed violence, was once the accepted cultural script worldwide, not just in Africa. It often is accompanied by the indifference of bystanders. Yet, in an interconnected world, this script is more than ethically indefensible. In an interconnected world, no region can hope to remain safely insulated, be it from global ecological damage or from a culture of militarism.» Read the repeat nomination 2016 here - full presentation 2015 nomination here |
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Nominated by Ingeborg Breines, Co-president of the International Peace Bureau (nominated Mayor/UNESCO in 2015) Federico Mayor and the culture of peace initiative |
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"Federico Mayor …. continues ... to work for a transition from a culture of imposition and war to a culture of dialogue and peace. Through his writings, talks, and huge network of distinguished people, he is able to inspire and guide thinkers and political decision-makers alike. … At the IPB annual conference in Padova: Paths to Peace in November 2015 Federico Mayor strongly underlined that the world urgently need to disarm to free resources for development and for meeting the challenges of climate change and of migration. Read the full nomination here
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Nominated by Prof Aytuğ Atıcı, MP, Turkey Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) Efforts by Parliamentarians, across all divisions of nationality, religion, political and economic systems - the true Nobel spirit In 2013, PNND working with Global Zero, moved nearly 2/3rds of the members of the European Parliament to endorse (personally sign) a Written Declaration in Support of the Global Zero Plan for Nuclear Disarmament – making this European Parliament policy." Tthe nomination letter names outstanding achievements by individual PNND members, Federica Mogherini, Ed Markey, Jeremy Corbyn, Uta Zapf, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Atimova, Tony de Brum [nominated in person by IPB for 2016], Ui Hwa Chung, Taro Okada, Sabe Chowdury, Bill Kidd, Christine Muttonen. The PNND Global Coordinator, Alyn Ware, was nominated for the 2015 Nobel Read the full nomination here
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Nominated by Prof Alf Petter Høgberg, Uni of Oslo (also in 2015, with co-nominators Nils Christie and Ståle Eskeland) |
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Peter Weiss, New York |
IALANA, International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear War, Berlin, New York, Colombo (Sri Lanka) |
Juristen und Juristinnen gegen atomare, biologische ung chemische Waffen, Berlin |
«I resubmit the nomination for 2015, ... In addition I would like to mention that in 2015, ”the last expired year,” IALANA, Peter Weiss, and the German section have continued to clarify the illegality of nuclear weapons law cooperating with and backing the case Marshall Islands is conducting at the UN Court, ICJ, on the obligations of nuclear-armed nations to engage in efficient procedures to abolish nuclear weapons. IALANA makes valiant efforts to develop international law through a treaty banning nuclear weapons adopted in international diplomacy. The German IALANA branch is particularly active in a “Peace trough Law” project seeking to strengthen international law and make it a well known and operative feature of national and international relations. This work is at the core of Nobel´s idea of a “prize for the champions of peace.” The resort to court instead of arms was a key component of the peace thinking of Bertha von Suttner (arbitration and Schiedsgerichte) and the work of the “champions of peace” that Alfred Nobel wished to support by his prize. … To develop a world governed by law, not power, was a central concern of Nobel using the term «brotherhood of nations» in his will and is central to the activities of the IALANA community. See the full 2016 nomination here, the 2015 nomination here |
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Nominated by Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Australian Parliament (also nominated in 2015): Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) "I endorse all Christine Milne´s remarks in the attached 2015 nomination and draw your attention to the work of WILPF during the past year, the centenary year of the organization … one hundred years of public advocacy and action by women around the world to promote sustainable peace and disarmament culminating in the hugely successful 2015 Women’s Power to Stop War centenary conference in the Hague, is surely deserving of recognition with this year’s Peace Prize. Over the past year women have worked to connect, strengthen and celebrate the work of women peace makers wherever in the world they live. It built on the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 passed in 2000 which recognized the role of women in peace making and the prevention of conflict and the work of WILPF over the last 15 years on the Women, Peace and Security agenda. A peace negotiation anywhere, which fails to give women a voice and which fails to acknowledge the crimes against women will not be sustainable. Please advance women’s rightful place at the peace making table by recognizing the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom as 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner." See the full nomination here.
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THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WATCH GUIDELINES While others, the committee, parliamentarians, peace researchers, even peace people base The best, most direct, access to Nobel´s own understanding of the “champions of peace” he Thus the purpose of Nobel - to liberate all nations from weapons, warriors and wars – has Candidates that work for global co-operation on international law and disarmament directly At the time of Nobel many statesmen listened to the voices for peace and disarmament, "I like to believe that people, in the long run, are going to do more to promote peace Alfred Nobel would have liked to see his committee think along the same lines. Nobel Peace Prize Watch, Feb 2, 2016 |