Nobel Peace Prize 2024 honors organization calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Japan's campaign to abolish nuclear weapons.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on October 11 that it has decided to award the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo , a Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, for its efforts to "create a world without nuclear weapons."

The Nobel Committee praised Nihon Hidankyo's efforts "for demonstrating through eyewitness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again".

The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize goes to Japan's Nihon Hidankyo organization. (Photo: X).

The organization, also known as Hibakusha , was founded by survivors of the US atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

"One day, the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will no longer be witnesses to history. But with a strong culture of remembrance and a continuing commitment, new generations in Japan are continuing the experiences and messages of the witnesses ," the Nobel Committee said in announcing the decision.

The Nobel Committee praised Nihon Hidankyo for helping to maintain the nuclear taboo, which it said was "a prerequisite for a peaceful future for mankind".

According to the Nobel Committee, the decision to award the prize to Nihon Hidankyo highlights the encouraging fact that no nuclear weapons have been used in war for nearly 80 years.

However, the committee acknowledged that this year's prize was being awarded at a time when "the taboo against the use of nuclear weapons is under great pressure".

In announcing the prize, the chairman of the Nobel Committee said "the stories and testimonies of the Hibakusha are an important reminder that the use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable".

In 2022, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian feminist activist Narges Mohammadi.

The Nobel Prize was established 120 years ago by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, awarding prizes in the categories of Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature and Peace, and the Nobel Prize in Economics was added later.

The prize carries a cash prize of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million).