List of Nobel Prize laureates in literature. Anti-nuclear laureate: who received the Nobel Peace Prize Who was the first to receive the Nobel Peace Prize
Probably, only humanity’s desire for self-expression and heroic deeds contributes to the emergence of unusually tenacious initiatives. So a gentleman named Nobel took it and decided to leave his money to his descendants in order to reward gentlemen who had distinguished themselves in one field or another. He rested in the damp earth for a long time, but the people remember him. The population is waiting (some impatiently) for the next lucky ones to be announced. And the candidates try, set goals, even intrigue, trying to ascend to this Olympus of glory. And if everything is clear with scientists and researchers - they receive their awards for real achievements or discoveries, then what makes the Nobel Peace Prize laureates stand out? Interesting? Let's figure it out.
Who awards the prize and for what?
There is a special committee whose main task is to select and approve
candidates for the field's highest honor. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to people who have distinguished themselves in promoting security and stability on the planet. It is issued annually. The procedure takes place in Oslo, on the tenth of December. At the same time, both international organizations and national governments can nominate a candidate to become a laureate. They are listed in the Committee Charter. Any person who was or is a member of the Nobel Committee is also eligible to participate in the nomination process. In addition, the Charter grants such privileges to university professors involved in politics or history.
When studying who received the Nobel Peace Prize, they inevitably come across the name of another political figure whose activities do not cause criticism. Such a person is Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama. This is an absolutely outstanding personality. From an early age he was forced to take on spiritual leadership. Buddhists recognized the boy as the incarnation of the deceased lama. Subsequently, he had to take on political responsibility for Tibet (at the age of sixteen). All his work is based on kindness, tolerance and love (from the formulation of the Nobel Committee). It should be added that he was unable to reach an agreement with the Chinese government. Now he lives and pursues his ideas in exile.
It turns out that not everything is so simple!
There are also very controversial winners of this high award. The committee is often criticized for being too politicized. Residents of the post-Soviet space see Mikhail Gorbachev as such a figure. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to such a controversial figure from the point of view of the world community as Yasser Arafat.
This decision of the Committee is considered scandalous on the grounds that this laureate did not deny military ways to achieve his goals. On his account not only battles, but also terrorist attacks. He himself declared his goal to be the destruction of an entire sovereign state (Israel). That is, despite the fact that Arafat fought for the well-being of the people of the Middle East, it is difficult to assign him the title of peacemaker. Another scandalous figure is Barack Obama. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him in 2009. It must be said that the Committee had to come to terms with a barrage of criticism regarding this decision.
More about Obama
There is still an opinion in the world press that the President of the States was awarded the award “in advance.” At that time, he had just taken office and had not yet distinguished himself in anything significant. And the initiatives and decisions that he made subsequently do not at all explain why he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Obama is considered the president who started the most military conflicts. Their victims are incalculable due to the “hybrid nature” of these clashes (a term that has appeared quite recently). He had to make decisions about bombing and ground operations. He is criticized for the invasion of Syria, unrest in Iraq and Ukraine. Nevertheless, Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize and is among its laureates.
This “advance reward” leads to more and more scandals. As tensions arise, some political figures have spoken out in favor of revoking the award. There is an opinion that such unpeaceful behavior disgraces the high bonus. In the Russian Federation, naturally, they believe that V.V. Putin is a more worthy candidate. The Nobel Peace Prize may yet be awarded to him for the true tenacity he shows in resolving conflicts.
About money
People are often interested not so much in the achievements of the individuals awarded this award, but in its amount. The Nobel Peace Prize can truly boggle the mind. The fact is that all the Committee’s funds do not just sit in financial institutions. They “work” by increasing in size. According to the will, the profit is divided into five parts. They are not the same and are becoming more and more impressive in size from year to year. Thus, the very first amount awarded in 1901 was equal to forty-two thousand dollars. In 2003, the amount was already 1.35 million. Its size is influenced by the state of the world economy. Dividends that go towards payments can not only increase, but also decrease. For example, in 2007 the bonus amount was 1.542 million, and by 2008 it “melted” ($1.4 million).
These funds are distributed in five equal shares according to nominations, and then according to the number of laureates, in accordance with the rules according to which the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded. How much money will be spent on awards each year is determined by the Committee, having carried out appropriate calculations of earnings from securities and other assets.
Russian laureates
Our fellow citizens have received such an award only twice. In addition to Gorbachev, the scientist Andrei Sakharov was awarded this honor. However, it was not his scientific works that became the reason for awarding the prize. Sakharov was considered a human rights activist and a fighter against the regime. During Soviet times, he was subjected to harsh criticism and persecution. The scientist worked on the creation of hydrogen weapons. Despite this, he openly advocated a ban on testing weapons of mass destruction and against the arms race. His ideas were very popular in society and were not at all liked by the ruling elite.
Sakharov is generally considered a passionate advocate of peace who suffered for his views. The Nobel Committee used the wording: “for courage in the fight against abuse of power...”. Nevertheless, he was rather an idealist, a kind and non-aggressive person (according to the recollections of his colleagues). More Russians have never received a high award, which does not mean that there are no worthy individuals living in our country. Rather, this fact can be perceived as the Committee’s political engagement, the use of the award in geopolitical competition.
Who didn't receive the award, but deserves it?
Many politicians believe that Mahatma Gandhi, more than any other figure, deserved a high award. This man was involved in organizing the struggle of Indians against the colonialists. Gandhi not only had to come up with ways in which a weak and unarmed population could resist the British army, but they also had to be related to the peculiarities of the local religion. This method was invented by him. It was called nonviolent resistance and is often used today. Mahatma Gandhi was proposed to the Committee five times. Only there were “more worthy” candidates (which again can be explained by the politicization of this organization). Subsequently, officials responsible for awarding the Nobel Prize expressed their regret that Gandhi never became a laureate.
Incidents of the Nobel Committee
There are such incredible things in the history of this organization that today can only be perceived anecdotally. So, as you know, none other than Adolf Hitler was nominated for this award in 1939. Fortunately, he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize. And it's not about money. What would be the prestige of an organization that would call a peacemaker a person responsible for the death of millions of people on our planet? The Nobel Committee refused to award it, motivating its decision by the Nazis' attitude towards Jews.
Nevertheless, during his nomination, Hitler’s activities looked quite progressive to the German intelligentsia. He had just concluded two major peace agreements, was boosting industry, and caring about the development of science and art. Nowadays people understand to what extent Hitler's claims to the award were absurd and unfounded. But at that time, the people of Germany perceived him as a real leader, leading them to a bright life. Yes, to some extent this was true. He really cared about the Germans, only at the expense of people of other nationalities. To the credit of the members of the Nobel Committee, they understood this and rejected his candidacy for the prize.
Collective laureates
This award has been awarded three times to organizations associated in one way or another with the Red Cross. If we take into account the first laureate - its organizer, then four. It should be noted that this international organization undoubtedly deserves such high praise. Its representatives always find a field for activity. Whether in areas of bloody conflicts or epidemics, they often find themselves at the center of events, lending a much-needed hand of support to unfortunate people in distress. By the way, the UN won the prize once (2001); its peacekeeping forces (1988) and its refugee service (1981) were previously recognized. Among the not very well-known laureate organizations is the International Labor Organization (1969). Perhaps we don’t hear about the wave because a lot of time has passed since its influence in the world was so great that it received an award.
There are many winners of this serious award. The names of some went down in history with courage and bravery, others with scandals and intrigues. Still others are not remembered at all. Nevertheless, people want this award to fall into the hands of truly worthy individuals, regardless of the political situation.
What is the Nobel Prize? We can give a short answer to this question. This is a prestigious award given annually to writers, scientists and public figures. But on what basis are these outstanding individuals awarded? Who makes the final decision on awarding a prize to a particular candidate? Comprehensive answers to these questions are contained in the article. The names of historical figures and writers who were once nominated for the Nobel Prize (Russian and foreign) are also given here.
Who is Nobel?
Until 1901, no one knew what the Nobel Prize was. Because it simply did not exist. The award ceremony was organized several years after the death of Alfred Nobel. What preceded this event?
The Swedish engineer, chemist and inventor was born in 1833, in the family of an impoverished descendant of the scientist Olof Rudbeck. Since childhood, Alfred was interested in technology and science. Until the age of sixteen, he lived with his parents in Russia. True, the future philanthropist was born in Stockholm. Nobel the father moved to St. Petersburg with his family in 1833.
Great Inventor
Alfred left his father's house at the age of 16. By that time, the financial situation had improved somewhat, and the parents were able to give their inquisitive son a good education. In Europe, Nobel intensively studied chemistry. He was especially interested in explosives, a field of science whose research led Nobel to the invention of dynamite in 1863. Four years later, the scientist received the corresponding patent, which allowed him to subsequently become one of the richest people in the world.
Without going into details of the professional activities of the famous Swede, let's move on to the final part of his biography. It is this that will bring us closer to obtaining a detailed answer to the question of what the Nobel Prize is.
Merchant of Death
Scientists tend to have a fanatical attitude towards their own work. Sometimes they commit the greatest crimes in their research without even noticing it. Nobel produced and widely advertised his product without thinking about the consequences of the development of dynamite production. For this he was nicknamed “the millionaire on blood.” This is how posterity would have remembered the restless researcher under an offensive nickname, if not for one incident.
One fine spring morning (although, perhaps, it happened during the winter frost or autumn storm), the world-famous scientist woke up in his Stockholm apartment and, as usual, fondly remembered the passion of his life - dynamite. In a pleasant mood, Nobel went to the living room to drink a cup of espresso and think about a new plan to improve the technology for producing a mixture based on nitroglycerin. The scientist opened a fresh newspaper... and the thoughts caressing the soul dissipated like yesterday’s dream. On the first page he saw a message about his own death.
The world community would never have known what the Nobel Prize was if not for the mistake of an absent-minded reporter who, when writing an obituary, confused the creator of dynamite with his brother. Nobel was not upset about the death of his relative. He wasn't too upset by his own obituary either. Nobel did not like the definition that the “scribbler” gave him for the sake of a catchphrase - “merchant of death.”
Nobel Foundation
In order to change the course of events and not remain in the memory of descendants as a Millionaire on Blood or a Dynamite King, Alfred Nobel immediately sat down to draw up a will.
So, the document is ready. What is it talking about? After Nobel's death, all his property must be sold, the proceeds deposited in an account in a reliable bank. The resulting profit goes to a newly established fund, which, in turn, distributes it annually according to a strict scheme, dividing it into five equal parts. Each of them constitutes a monetary prize due to a scientist, writer or fighter for world peace. In his will, Nobel emphasized that the choice of a candidate should in no way be influenced by his nationality or citizenship.
The millionaire's relatives were furious when they learned about the will, and for a long time tried to challenge its authenticity. But that's a completely different story.
Rules for selecting a candidate
The Nobel Prize winner can be a physicist, chemist, scientist who made a discovery in the field of medicine or physiology, or the author of an outstanding literary work.
A public figure who has made a significant contribution to the abolition of slavery and the unity of nations is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A committee named after the scientist is responsible for it. The remaining awards are approved by the following organizations:
- Karolinska Institute (prize in medicine or physiology).
- Swedish Academy (Literature Prize).
- Royal Swedish Academy (prizes in chemistry and physics).
The prize cannot be awarded posthumously. But if, of course, the applicant died after the committee’s announcement and did not live to see the award ceremony, it remains with him. But what if there is no worthy candidate from a particular field? In this case, the prize is not awarded, and the funds are retained until the next year.
Cash bonus amount
The amount is different every year. After all, the profit from transactions from which bonuses are paid cannot be fixed. So, in 2016 it amounted to $1.1 million. And in 2007 - $1.56 million. In addition, several years ago the fund decided to reduce the premium to 20% in order to prevent a decrease in the organization's capital in the future.
It is worth saying that nomination for an award is an interesting and mysterious process. It is attended not only by members of the organizations listed above, but also by more than three thousand people (usually researchers) working in certain fields, as well as former laureates. However, the names of the nominees are kept secret for 50 years.
The presentation of the Nobel Prize is a very solemn event, attended by more than a thousand people. The banquet menu and the decoration of the hall in which it is held is a separate topic that cannot be covered in one article. Therefore, let’s move on to the most interesting part of our story, namely the names of the winners of the most prestigious award. Since their list is very extensive, we will name the most famous personalities, and first of all our compatriots.
Nobel Prize in Literature
No matter how talented a writer may be, he will not be awarded this prize if he does not strive to convey to his readers the bright, eternal. It is received by humanists, idealists, fighters for justice and those who have made a significant contribution to the development of literature. A total of 107 awards were awarded (by 2017). In 1904, 1917, 1966 and 1974, committee members were unable to find a worthy candidate.
Thus, in 1933, Ivan Bunin was awarded a prize for excellence in promoting the development of classical Russian prose. Boris Pasternak a quarter of a century later - for high achievements in lyric poetry and continuation of the traditions of the epic novel. It is worth saying that the title of the work was not included in the justification for the award. Nevertheless, the author of Doctor Zhivago was subjected to severe oppression in his homeland. It was considered good form to scold Pasternak's novel. At the same time, only a few people read it. After all, the book was banned in the USSR for a long time.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn was awarded the prize due to his high moral strength and adherence to the traditions of the Russian epic novel. He did not show up for the ceremony. Not because I was busy, but because they didn’t let me in. Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich is the last Russian-speaking Nobel Prize laureate. Writer Mikhail Sholokhov was also awarded.
Andrey Sakharov
What Nobel Prize was awarded to the Soviet scientist, one of the creators of the hydrogen bomb? Prizes in physics or perhaps chemistry? No. Andrei Sakharov is a peace prize laureate. He received it for his human rights activities and speeches against the development of nuclear weapons.
As already mentioned, the names of the nominees become known only after 50 years. Their number once included Leo Tolstoy, Erich Maria Remarque, which is not surprising. Tolstoy is a great humanist. Remarque actively criticized the fascist dictatorship in his books. But some of the names of the Nobel Peace Prize nominees that have become famous are truly puzzling. Hitler and Mussolini. The first was nominated in 1939, the second four years earlier. Lenin could also have been nominated for the Peace Prize. However, the First World War interfered.
1. THE PRIZE WAS BORN TO DRIVE EYES AWAY FROM NOBEL’S DISCOVERIES
The creator of the prize, Alfred Nobel, was an avid pacifist, which did not stop him from amassing an impressive capital from the arms trade and the invention of dynamite. He believed that the very presence of dangerous weapons should intimidate the enemy, preventing wars, terrorist attacks and bloodshed. The epiphany was painful. When the newspapers buried Alfred Nobel ahead of schedule, confusing him with his brother Ludwig, who died in St. Petersburg, he was greatly surprised by the morning headlines: “Death Merchant,” “Bloody Rich Man,” “Dynamite King.” In order not to go down in history as a millionaire on blood, Alfred Nobel immediately called a lawyer and rewrote his will, which stated that after death, all multimillion-dollar property should be placed in a reliable bank and entrusted to a foundation that would divide the income from investments into five equal parts and award them annually as a bonus . The idea was a success: now few people remember who invented dynamite, but even a child knows about the Nobel Prize.
2. ECONOMY WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF PRIZES
Initially, the prize was awarded in five categories: chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and achievements in peacekeeping. Later, in 1969, the Swedish Bank also added an economics bonus to this list. Since the field of economics was not listed in the will, it is awarded not from the Nobel Foundation, but from the Swedish Bank Foundation, but at the Nobel Prize ceremony. Nobel's descendants do not support adding an economic field to the prize. “Firstly,” they say, “the whole meaning of the prize is destroyed. If it is named after Nobel, then it should be awarded only in those areas that Nobel himself listed in his will. Secondly, Nobel simply did not like economists and bypassed their attention in the will is not accidental."
3. PREMIUM IS DROPPING IN PRICE
In terms of current exchange rates, when converting Nobel's movable and immovable property into cash equivalent, the fund received about $250 million. Part of the capital was immediately invested in securities, and prizes were awarded to the laureates from the profits. The fund's current wealth is $3 billion. Despite the growth of the capital of the Nobel Prize fund, in 2012 it was decided to cut it by 20% (from 1.4 million to 1.1 million dollars). Such a move, according to the directors of the fund, will help create a reliable financial cushion and ensure a high monetary level of the bonus for many years.
4. UNUSUAL WINNERS AND NOMINEES
The prize was very rarely awarded to anyone a second time. In all the years of its existence, this happened only 4 times. Federic Segner received both prizes in chemistry, John Bardeen - in physics, Linus Pauling - in chemistry and the Peace Prize. The only woman to receive two Nobel Prizes was Marie Skłodowska-Curie.
Maria Skłodowska-Curie
Stanley Williams, leader of the Crips gang, was nominated for the Nobel Prize 9 times: as a writer and as a humanitarian. Initially, the Crips group opposed police lawlessness on the streets of Los Angeles, but when it grew, it was responsible for several police deaths and, for some reason, a bank robbery. Stanley Williams was arrested and sentenced to death. The books that Stanley wrote while in prison became bestsellers, and he even received a US Presidential Award. This still did not pity the heart of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and in 2005 the leader of the Crips gang was executed.
5. PRIZE IN MATHEMATICS
Many people know that the Nobel Prize is not awarded in the field of mathematics. Many are also sure that the reason for this is Nobel’s beloved, who went to see the mathematician. Indeed, in the will, mathematics was initially included in the list of fields in which the prize was awarded, but was later crossed out by Nobel himself. In fact, there is no evidence of a romantic story associated with Nobel's refusal to give a prize to mathematicians. It is more likely that the main contender for the prize in mathematics before Nobel's death was Mittag-Leffler, whom the founder of the prize had long disliked for his annoying solicitation of donations for Stockholm University. Deciding to be true to himself and not give Mittag-Leffler money, Nobel crossed mathematics off the list and replaced it with the Peace Prize.
6. BANQUET AFTER THE PRIZES
The banquet is held immediately after the awards ceremony in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall. The chefs from the town hall restaurant and the best chefs, who were awarded the title “Chef of the Year” in the year of the award, are involved in preparing the festive dinner. Three months before the banquet, members of the Nobel Committee taste three types of menu and decide which one is worthy of being treated to guests at the banquet. Ice cream is traditionally served for dessert, but its type is kept a closely guarded secret until the evening of the ceremony.
The hall is decorated with more than 20,000 flowers from San Remo, and the movements of the waiters are rehearsed down to the second. Exactly at 7 pm, the guests of honor, led by the monarchs, descend into the Blue Hall. The Swedish king is holding a Nobel laureate on his arm, and if there is none, then the wife of a physics laureate.
The banquet service has its own unique design: it is made in three colors of the Swedish Empire style: blue, green and gold and consists of 6750 glasses, 9450 knives and forks, 9550 plates and one tea cup for Princess Liliana, who did not drink coffee. After the princess's death, the cup was kept in a special mahogany box with the princess's monogram. The saucer from the cup was stolen not long ago.
7. NOBEL IN SPACE
Most often, the name of Alfred Nobel is immortalized by astronauts. In 1970, the International Astronomical Union named a crater on the Moon after Alfred Nobel, albeit on its dark side. And in 1983, asteroid number 6032 was named in his honor.
8. WHEN PRIZES ARE NOT AWARDED
If there are no worthy candidates for a prize in any field, it is simply not awarded. This happened five times with the medicine prize, four times with the physics prize, and most of all with the Peace Prize. According to the rules adopted in 1974, the prize can only be awarded during the lifetime of the laureate. The rule was broken only once, in 2011, when medical laureate Ralph Stayman died of cancer two hours before the presentation.
9. CASH EQUIVALENT OF THE PRIZE AND STRANGE WAYS TO SPEND IT
The cash equivalent of the award is variable, but usually amounts to more than a million US dollars. Not every scientist spends such a sum on the development of his scientific research. Ivan Bunin, with all the scope of his Russian soul, spent money on parties. The poet René François Armand Sully-Prudhomme organized his own prize, which was not as successful as the Nobel Prize, but existed for six years and was awarded to masters of poetry. The Hungarian writer Irme Kertész gave his prize to his wife, thus appreciating her heroic loyalty to him in difficulties and poverty. “Let her buy herself dresses and jewelry,” the writer commented on his decision, “she deserves it.”
Paul Greengard, who researched the relationship between nerve cells, which later led to the creation of antidepressants, used the award money to create his own Pearl Meister Greengard award. It is often presented as an analogue of the Nobel Prize for women, because in the scientific world, according to Greenard, there is enormous discrimination against women. The scientist dedicated the prize to his mother who died during childbirth.
10. PEACE PRIZE
The most controversial and politically charged of the six areas in which the prize is awarded is the Peace Prize. At different times, such undisputed villains as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin were nominated for the award.
Last year, in 2014, Vladimir Putin was nominated for it. Seventeen-year-old Malala Yusufai from Pakistan, who took victory from Putin, became the youngest Nobel Prize winner. Her fight for girls' education in Islamic countries led to worldwide recognition and a prestigious award. Radical Islamic groups declared jihad (holy war) on the girl and immediately after the award they tried to kill her, but Malala survived and continues to fight for women’s rights to education.
Unlike all other areas, the Peace Prize is awarded not in Stockholm, but in Oslo.
This week the winners of the next Nobel Prize were announced. We tell you why they are receiving the award - and what it means for science and the world.
Medicine
James Ellison and Tasuku Honjo.
For what?
For the development of drugs that prevent tumor cells from resisting the immune system.
What does it mean?
Allison and Honjo developed checkpoint inhibitors- drugs that force the immune system to actively destroy the tumor.
Chemotherapy and targeted therapy either directly kill tumor cells or interfere with their processes, which also leads to their death. The difference between immune therapy is that it does not have an independent antitumor effect, but forces immune cells to kill the tumor.
True, in some cases such therapy leads to the immune system attacking its own cells - this is somewhat similar to autoimmune diseases.
Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young - for their discovery and research of the molecular mechanisms governing circadian rhythms.
Physics
Arthur Ashkin, Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland.
For what?
Arthur Ashkin - for "laser tweezers", which is now used in biology. Gerard Moore and Donna Strickland - for method for producing ultrashort optical pulses.
What does it mean?
Optical tweezers are a device for moving matter using light. In simple words, it is a device that captures small pieces of matter using a laser beam.
Previously, when biologists needed to examine a cell and they took it with tweezers to separate it from the rest, it was very easy to damage it. But if you use Ashkin's optical tweezers, the cell will not be damaged because the gripping force is small and easy to adjust.
And ultrashort optical pulses are needed, for example, for laser thermonuclear fusion. Such lasers can also be used to clean the near-Earth space from space debris, which can seriously harm satellites, space stations and people in space.
A problem arose with these impulses - they needed to be made more powerful and shorter, despite the fact that their duration was already short. Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland suggested how this could be done: stretch the impulses over time, slowly amplify them and compress them back.
Who got it last year?
Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish - awarded "for their decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the discovery of gravitational waves."
Chemistry
Francis Arnold, George Smith and Gregory Winter.
For what?
Frances Arnold - "for directed evolution of enzymes", George Smith and Gregory Winter - "for phage display of peptides and antibodies" Smith first described this method, and Winter used it to develop drugs.
What does it mean?
This means that it has become possible to change enzymes and create new antibodies.
The first method is “directed evolution of enzymes.” As a result of experiments with the gene, only those bacteria that produce the most effective enzymes in the desired area will survive. That is, an evolutionary process is taking place, only the selection system is created by scientists themselves.
New enzymes help speed up processes and clear the product of side effects that sometimes occur during chemical reactions. They are used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. With their help, biofuels, detergents, reagents and medicines are created.
The second method is phage display. One area of its use is directed evolution in relation to antibodies. Only here it is not bacteria that are used, but bacteriophages - viruses that can infect bacteria. They have proteins on the surface, and a relatively large piece of some other protein can be embedded there. Thanks to this, various drugs from the group of monoclonal antibodies appeared. For example, against autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
Who got it last year?
Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson for "the development of high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy techniques for determining the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules in solution."
Literature
On October 4, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature could be named. But in May, the Nobel Committee announced that in 2018, for the first time in 75 years, the literature award would not be given due to a data leak at the Swedish Academy (it selects applicants and awards). The award ceremony will be resumed in 2019, and the winners will be announced two years in advance. In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Kazuo Ishiguro, who, as the Nobel Prize organizing committee said in a statement, “exposes in his novels of incredible emotional power the abyss hidden behind our illusory sense of connection with the world.”
Peace Prize
Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad.
For what?
Behind combating sexual violence in armed conflict.
What does it mean?
Mukwege is a Congolese gynecologist and the founder and director of Panzi Hospital, which provides medical care to women victims of gang rape, a common practice by rebels during the Kivu conflict.
Nadia Murad is an Iraqi human rights activist and former captive of the Islamic State.
Who got it last year?
International Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons - "for its efforts to draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for efforts to ban such weapons through agreements."
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A little more about the Nobel Prize
This is one of the most prestigious international prizes, awarded annually for outstanding scientific research, revolutionary inventions or major contributions to culture and society.
When did they start giving?
- Physics - awarded since 1901 in Sweden;
- chemistry - since 1901 in Sweden;
- physiology and medicine - since 1901 in Sweden;
- literature - since 1901 in Sweden;
- The prize for promoting world peace has been awarded since 1901 in Norway.
How is the award structured?
The main document regulating the rules for awarding the prize is the Nobel Foundation.
The prize can only be awarded to individuals and not to institutions (except for peace prizes). The Peace Prize can be awarded to individuals as well as official and public organizations.
Requests for nominations are sent by the Nobel Committee to approximately three thousand individuals, usually in September of the year preceding the year the prize is awarded. These individuals are often researchers working in the relevant field.
The award procedure is preceded by a lot of work, which is carried out all year round by numerous organizations around the world. In October, the laureates are finally approved and announced. The final selection of laureates is carried out by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institutet and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The award procedure takes place annually on December 10. In Stockholm, prizes in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and economics are presented by the King of Sweden. And in the field of defense of peace - the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presents it - in Oslo, at the city hall, in the presence of the King of Norway and members of the royal family. Along with a cash prize, the amount of which varies depending on the income received from the Nobel Foundation, laureates are awarded a medal and a diploma.
Unusual laureates
Barack Obama, who received the Peace Prize with the wording “For outstanding efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation among peoples,” was nominated for the award two weeks after becoming president.
American poet, musician, composer and singer Bob Dylan became a Nobel Prize laureate in literature. The choice of the organizing committee in favor of Bob Dylan was a complete surprise. Many are accustomed to perceiving Dylan solely as a musician, but not as a poet.
Received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 Boris Pasternak. The award was presented with the wording: “For significant achievements in modern lyric poetry, as well as for continuing the traditions of the great Russian epic novel.” Pasternak himself was forced to refuse the medal under threat of exile from Russia. In 1989, the medal and diploma were transferred to his son after the writer’s death.
What is the Ig Nobel Prize?
Ig Nobel Prizes, Ignobel Prize, Anti-Nobel Prize - a parody of the Nobel Prize. The ten Ig Nobel Prizes are awarded in early October, which is the time when the real Nobel Prize winners are named - for achievements that first make you laugh and then make you think. The prize was created by Mark Abrahams and the humor magazine Annals of Incredible Research.
Illustrations: nobelprize.org.
Text: Natalia Beley, regular contributor to F&F.
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