On Friday morning, one name will make headlines and become etched in the history books for all time. That much is certain. What we don’t know is whose name the Nobel Prize Committee will announce when it unveils its choice for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, arguably the world’s most prestigious honor.
The five-member panel’s final decision will receive much attention, but the fact is that the ultimate selection is much less interesting and significant than the wide spectrum of nominations from which it is chosen. After all, the committee, chosen by the Norwegian parliament, is a collection of Norwegian politicians. Their decision says more about Scandinavian worldviews than about our world and our time.
By contrast, a survey of the likely nominees offers a unique snapshot of a world that is at once turbulent and hopeful, one where conflicts abound, but so do people and organizations working creatively and courageously to resolve them, improve conditions for the victims and lessen the chances that discord will persist.