The Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization comprised of atomic bomb survivors, recognized for their "extraordinary efforts" in promoting a world free of nuclear weapons. The announcement was made at a ceremony in Oslo on Friday, highlighting the group's significant contribution to establishing a nuclear taboo over the years.

According to Joergen Watne Frydnes, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the prize acknowledges the organization's 1956 formation and its commitment to advocating for nuclear disarmament. The grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, known as Hibakusha, has long campaigned against nuclear arms, demonstrating through their personal testimonies that such weapons should never be used again.

The Nobel Committee noted that the experiences of those who survived the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have often been overlooked. In 1956, local Hibakusha associations and victims of nuclear tests in the Pacific united to create the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, which later became known as Nihon Hidankyo. This organization has grown to be the largest and most influential of its kind in Japan.

Next year marks 80 years since the atomic bombings that killed an estimated 120,000 people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with countless others suffering from radiation injuries in the aftermath. By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, the Norwegian Nobel Committee aims to honor all atomic bomb survivors who have, despite their enduring pain, chosen to advocate for peace and hope.

The Committee emphasized the vital role of these survivors in articulating the unimaginable suffering caused by nuclear weapons. They assist society in confronting the harsh realities of nuclear conflict and its devastating consequences.

This year, 286 candidates were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which included 197 individuals and 89 organizations. Alfred Nobel's will stipulates that the decision must be made by a committee of five members appointed by the Norwegian parliament.

In contrast to other Nobel awards, the Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo. Last year's recipient was Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, who was honored for her efforts in combating the oppression of women in Iran.

Since its inception, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 105 times to 142 laureates from 1901 to 2024, comprising 111 individuals and 31 organizations. Notably, the International Committee of the Red Cross has received the prize three times, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been honored twice.

Alfred Nobel had a profound interest in social issues and actively supported the peace movement. His relationship with Bertha von Suttner, a key figure in the European peace movement and a later laureate, greatly influenced his perspectives on peace. In his will, he outlined peace as the fifth and final category for which the Nobel Prize would be awarded.