Kariane Westrheim
It is a paradox that the name the world most associates with peace and fraternity between nations is also the one associated with the invention of nitro-glycerine and dynamite, and one whose father started an arms factory. We are talking about Alfred Bernhard Nobel, who was born in 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden, and died in 1896 in San Remo, Italy.
But Alfred Nobel had a vision of a better world where people could improve society through knowledge, science and humanism. The economic foundations for the Nobel Prize were laid in 1895, and based on his testamentary inheritance, Nobel created a prize that would reward the discoveries that have entailed the greatest benefit to humankind. The first Nobel prizes in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace were awarded in 1901. In accordance with the instructions Nobel left through his will, various independent prize-awarding institutions have selected Nobel Prize laureates in each prize category for more than a century.
Four Nobel prizes are awarded by Swedish institutions, however, the Nobel Peace Prize is decided by a committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian parliament. It is somewhat uncertain why Nobel chose Norway for the peace prize, but it is likely that it was connected to Norway being in union with Sweden throughout Nobel’s lifetime, and with his vision of peace and fraternity between nations, it is not inconceivable that he thought a peace prize awarded in Norway would create a form of fraternisation between the two nations in the future.
The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious and revered awards in the world, given to individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions in their field or scientific discipline. Being the recipient of a Nobel Prize requires dedication and development of the laureate’s field or scientific discipline for which he or she is also a torchbearer. When Kofi Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, together with the UN, for his efforts for a better organised and more peaceful world, he said the following: The award “will urge us forward and encourage all of us to tackle our tasks with even greater determination”. Such statements are often heard from the corridors of the UN leaders, but the Kurdish issue does not seem to be included in the zeal to make the world a more peaceful and better place.
But there is a glimmer of light in the tunnel. On July 26 this year, 69 Nobel laureates sent a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the main EU institutions with a clear demand to release Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is inhumanely isolated in his prison cell in İmrali, in violation of international law and other international conventions. The letter calls for a renewed and stronger peace process, emphasises the need for an immediate political solution to the Kurdish issue and indirectly for Öcalan to be put in a position to play his role in the peace talks between the Turkish authorities and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The person who set this crucial initiative in motion, tirelessly drew up the text of the letter and contacted other Nobel laureates, was the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams. This took time and effort, but she persevered until she felt she had enough Nobel recipients behind her for the initiative to gain political impacts which in turn would perhaps give hope to the Kurds for a solution to their political problems. Jody Williams has been a life-long advocate of freedom, self-determination and human and civil rights. She is a teacher, political activist and advocate for peace. Since she received the award in 1997, she has worked tirelessly in the service of peace and humanity – and with the whole world as a catchment area. Williams, and the 68 other laureates in this initiative, turned the spotlight on the unresolved Kurdish question, which until then was silenced to death by the political parties that could have solved it. There is now therefore great hope that Jody Williams, as a top ambassador for peace, will carry enough impact for the doors of the EU to be opened to this issue and that the Turkish president will finally listen.
Nobel laureates are expected to collaborate with other institutions of various kinds, organisations, governments and individuals working towards similar specific goals. Nobel Peace Prize laureates should foster partnerships that enhance collective efforts for development and peace. They are expected to offer their support and guidance to new initiatives and peace missions worldwide. In 2006 Jody Williams co-founded the Nobel Women’s Initiative, which she still chairs, where she works with other women Nobel Peace Prize laureates to elevate the voices and support the work of women peace activists around the world. This network could, if contacted, be linked to the Kurdish women’s movement.
Jody Williams has understood that the journey towards peace is ongoing, and so too is the work of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as is the work of laureates from other Nobel disciplines. Laureates remain actively engaged in their causes, using their platform to address emerging challenges. Their influence and efforts should persist beyond receiving the prize, contributing to sustained and meaningful change in their various fields. Nobel laureates are role models whose work and behaviour influences millions of people around the globe. Education plays a crucial role in fostering a culture of peace. Nobel laureates are often involved in educational outreach, sharing their experiences and knowledge with future generations. This involves participating in formal and informal forums and lectures, and writing to disseminate their message of peace and inspire young minds.
Nobel laureates have a responsibility to uphold the legacy of Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize. They honour his vision of a world where peace prevails over war and conflict. This includes respecting the history and tradition of the Nobel Prize and contributing positively to its reputation. Being a Nobel Prize laureate is an immense honour that comes with significant obligations in various fields – which can also lead to more and stronger peace initiatives, something to which Nobel Peace Prize recipients have an obligation. Laureates are not just recipients of a highly recognised award but are dedicated to bearing a global movement towards a more enlightened, peaceful and just world. By signing the letter to President Erdoğan and the EU, that is exactly what they are doing.
It is to be hoped that the Nobel initiative initiated by Jody Williams affects those to whom it is addressed, and if the recipients of the letter do not give an immediate answer or response to the inquiries, then it can still be assumed that the contents of the letters will be considered in connection with future political deliberations and decisions.
Kariane Westrheim is Professor of Educational Science at the University of Bergen, Norway. Since 2004, Westrheim has chaired the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) which among others organise the Annual International Conference on EU Turkey and the Kurds in the European Parliament, Brussels.
