The Japanese atomic bomb survivor group “Nihon Hidankyo” won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
The organization, made up of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for its efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
Nobel committee chairman Jürgen Wertner Friednes said the organization “contributed greatly to the establishment of the nuclear taboo”.
Friedness warned that the “nuclear taboo” was now “under pressure” and praised the group for using witness testimony to ensure nuclear weapons are never used again.
Founded in 1956, the organization sends survivors around the world to share their testimonies of the “brutal destruction” and suffering caused by the use of nuclear weapons, according to its website.
Their work was completed nearly a decade after the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Three days later, a second nuclear weapon was dropped on Nagasaki. Two weeks later, Japan surrendered, ending World War II.
“I never thought something like this would happen,” Toshiyuki Miyagi, the group’s co-head, broke down in tears during an interview with reporters in Japan, saying, as quoted by AFP.
The decision to recognize Japan’s Hidan Kyo means the Nobel committee has abandoned its more controversial Peace Prize nominee.
Speculation is rife that UNRWA, the U.N. agency that supports the Palestinians, is being considered for the prize.
Although the organization is a major provider of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, nine of its members were fired for their alleged involvement in Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
More than 12,000 people signed a petition urging the committee not to award UNRWA the award.
Nominations to the International Court of Justice are equally concerning.
The United Nations’ main judicial body is currently considering accusations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza and has issued a statement urging Israeli authorities not to commit genocide.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute said that 286 candidates were nominated for this year’s Peace Prize, including 197 individuals and 89 organizations.
Nominations can be made by persons with significant authority, including members of the National Assembly, the Government and the International Court of Justice.
Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi Awarded in 2023when she was honored for resisting the oppression of women in Iran.
