Nobel Prize winners such as Nelson Mandela and Shirin Ebadi can sit on the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the Swedish Nobel Foundation informs Ny Tid. Ebadi tells Ny Tid that she will await an inquiry from the committee.
(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Extension. – I see no obstacle for international committee members. The only thing mentioned in section six regarding the Norwegian Nobel Committee is that the winner of the Peace Prize shall be nominated by a "committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament". The Storting is simply the one who makes the decision. Even people other than Norwegians can be members, according to the statutes.
This is what the director of the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Michael Solman, says to Ny Tid. The Nobel Foundation in Sweden is responsible for the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo. This will be the first statement the Swedish Nobel Foundation makes on the occasion of the composition of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
The debate over the Nobel Committee's composition has increased in strength since the announcement of this year's award winner, China's Liu Xiaobo, 8. October. Last week, it became known that Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (AP) this fall contacted Nobel Committee leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland, and then conveyed the Beijing regime's concern if Liu were to receive the award. Several have argued that the Norwegian Nobel Committee should be extended to other than the five Norwegian ex-politicians, from SV to Frp, who are now sitting there.
All the Swedish prizes are awarded by professionals and experts in the field. In the Norwegian committee, several of the committee members, both before and now, lack a foreign policy or peace-oriented background. As leader last week, Ny Tid, as last year, spoke out in favor of "letting researchers, peace activists or previous prize winners" sit on the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
Met Ebadi
On Tuesday this week, Ny Tid's journalist met the 2003 Nobel Prize winner, the Iranian lawyer human rights activist Shiri Ebadi, in Oslo. She was on her way to Bergen to participate in the Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF), and we took Flytoget with her to Gardermoen. Ebadi is open to receiving an invitation from the Nobel Committee.
- What do you think about this year's Nobel Prize?
- I was very happy when I heard that Liu Xiaobo won this year's award, and I congratulate him on the award. I think this is the best decision the Nobel Committee has made.
Even I suggested the Internet at this year's price, Ebadi replies.
- In the previous issue, Ny Tid proposed previous prize winners like you in the Nobel Committee. What would you say to an invitation?
- I am not in a position to promote my own candidacy. Wait until they actually come up with such a suggestion. Then I will answer.
- Do you have suggestions for other people who could become part of the committee?
- I have to talk about it when I am more informed about such a possible process, Ebadi concludes politely.
Interesting
The Nobel Prize-winning peace organization Pugwash is also open to receiving an invitation. In 1995, the international Pugwash movement shared the Peace Prize with founder Józef Rotblat.
- Pugwash Norway has not discussed this yet, but my feeling is that the members
thinks this is an interesting issue. I also feel that the candidates Pugwash Norway might have would seriously consider a request to sit on the committee, says leader Bent Natvig in Pugwash Norway.
