World Peace: A Nobel Idea

On October 9, 2009, the United States was divided by one of the most pressing issues facing our nation today:  Whether or not Barack Obama deserved to be awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.  While political pundants seemed outraged, and Mr. President himself seemed surprised, I began to wonder how many of these pundants, tweeters and facebookers could tell me the least bit of history about the Nobel prizes and in particular who was last year’s peace prize winner? Or the last ten winners?  Just a D.U.M.B. question I thought…

In 1901, the Nobel Foundation was formed and the first prizes were awarded in accordance with the final will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist and industrialist most famous for his invention of dynamite.  With close to $200 million to his name, Nobel requested that his assets be distributed as follows:

“… The capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiology or medical works by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm, and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be Scandinavian or not.”***

Peace is a dream that has never been fully attained but the Nobel Peace Prize honors those who have brought us closer to the ideal.  The men and women featured below are the ten most recent recipients of this high honor.  Citizens of all nations, creeds, religions and backgrounds, these honorees share the single goal of working to unite people toward a common good.

“We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.” --Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2009

“It will not help us solve conflict with no economic development.” --Martti Ahtisaari, 10th President of Finland, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2008

“No matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.”—Al Gore, 45th Vice President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2007

“My greatest challenge has been to change the mindset of people. Mindsets play strange tricks on us. We see things the way our minds have instructed our eyes to see.”—Muhammad Yunus, Banker/Economist & Founder of Grameen Bank, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2006

“If I am asking for significant changes, it is because the world is going through significant changes.” --Dr. Mohamed El Baradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2005

“It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”—Wangari Maathai, Environmental & Political Activist, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2004

“How can you defy fear? Fear is a human instinct, just like hunger. Whether you like it or not, you become hungry. Similarly with fear. But I have learned to train myself to live with this fear.”—Shirin Ebadi, Founder of the Centre for the Defence of Human Rights, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 2003

“It’s not necessary to fear the prospect of failure, but to be determined not to fail.” --Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 2002

“To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.” --Kofi Annan, 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 2001

“I went with a heavy heart not knowing what to expect but convinced that I must go for the reconciliation of my people and peace.” --Kim Dae-Jung, 15th President of South Korea, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 2000

I could expound upon what each of these people has done to take worldwide steps toward peace, but more important to me is this D.U.M.B. question:  What are we doing as individuals to promote excellence or create change?  We may not win the Nobel Prize for our actions, but individuals moving in the right direction only serves to move us all forward as a collective.

“World Peace:  A Nobel Idea” originally appeared as an article on www.justdumbproductions.com on October 19, 2009.