History of Europe

How did the Nobel Peace Prize begin?

Alfred Nobel, the inventor of Dynamite and other explosives, left a large portion of his fortune to establish Nobel Prizes in his will. The will stated that the prizes should be awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The Nobel Peace Prize was one of five Nobel Prizes established in accordance with the will.

According to Nobel's will, the Norwegian Nobel Committee would be responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The committee is composed of five members appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in 1901 to Frédéric Passy of France and Henry Dunant of Switzerland. Passy was a leading peace advocate and founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, while Dunant was the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to individuals and organizations from around the world for their contributions to peace. Some notable recipients include Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Malala Yousafzai, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Nobel Peace Prize has been criticized on several occasions for being too political or for ignoring certain conflicts or individuals. However, it remains one of the most prestigious awards in the world and a symbol of recognition for outstanding contributions to peace.