The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most prestigious awards to be given to a person working toward change in the international community. There has been much questioning about whether President Barack Obama is deserving of the honor but not enough focus has been placed on the Nobel Committee itself.
In his speech at the White House after learning he had won, the president accepted the award as “a call to action,” admitting that it was not a recognition of achievement. Furthermore, Obama highlighted the fact that, in the past, other leaders have similarly received the award, possibly referring to Mikhail Gorbachev, former resident of the former USSR.
According to the Nobel Foundation, “The section of Alfred Nobel’s will detailing the creation of the Peace Prize states that it should be awarded to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”
By that definition, the prize should be given to the person who has “done the most or the best work,” not to encourage one who has the power or potential to do so.
The Nobel Foundation chose the president as the recipient of the award based on “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
The deadline to submit nominations was Feb. 1. At that point, Obama had been in the White House less than two weeks and didn’t make enough progress in such a short time to be deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize, irrespective of his potential in the coming years.
It seems as though the Peace Prize is being used as a political tool and incentive for the president to remain vigilant in working toward his agenda for peace; basically, that he does his job and sees his promises through. If this is the nature by which the Nobel Committee awards the Peace Prize, the prestige of the award is at risk.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates include Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso; all iconic figures who dedicated their lives to a cause, to help those who suffer intensely, to stand up against injustice and to promote peace through peaceful means.
This is the true meaning of a Nobel Laureate — a person who, through their actions and many years of dedication, deserves to be rewarded for their unwavering belief and fight for what is just.
Obama has yet to demonstrate his efficacy in implementing his concepts of solving international crises and working toward a more peaceful and balanced global community. To be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize so early in his presidency is, essentially, to be given praise for hopeful propaganda.
It is the responsibility of the Nobel Committee to select the most deserving of nominees for this prize based on accomplishments, not for the hope of future progress. Only by adhering to the true spirit of the prize will the value and intention of the Nobel Peace Prize continue to be an honor to its recipients.
Sarah Al-Mulla is a 2008 CSULB journalism alumna and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.