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Kathmandu Tuesday December 11, 2001 Marga 26, 2058.
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Nobel Prize - centennial
celebrations
By Gajendra Bahadur Shrestha
The Nobel Prize celebrated its 100th anniversary
on December 10, 2001 in Stockholm and Oslo. Since its inception 100 years ago, the Nobel
Prizes, awarded annually in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway, are internationally upheld
as the world’s most coveted civic honours. They were founded by Alfred Nobel, the
tireless Swedish inventor and global industrial magnate, linguist, philosopher and
humanist. At this historical centennial celebration, it would be prudent to ponder the
life of this great personality so that many potential achievers may be inspired to be
further committed to greater humanitarian causes.
The inventor of dynamite, Alfred Nobel was
instrumental in the industrial revolution. Nobel, who became a benefactor of mankind
through his inventions and industrial activities, also received recognition through
creation of the Prize, which encouraged notable discoveries and humanitarian endeavours
worldwide.
Born in Stockholm in 1833 of Swedish parents,
Alfred Nobel, lived in several countries and ultimately wished himself to be a citizen of
the world. Nobel was a remarkably talented person, who could read, speak and write
fluently in five European languages: Swedish, Russian, English, French and German.
Alfred Nobel’s great success can be
attributed to his ability to combine the qualities of an astute scientist and inventor
along with those of a far-sighted and dynamic industrialist of his time. Nobel’s
fortune was founded on his inventions. At his death in 1896, he held 355 patents and had
established companies in some ninety locations in twenty countries.
In his will, Nobel directed that the major part
of his estate (present value about Swedish Kronor 1.5 billion) was to be converted into a
foundation and invested in "safe" securities. The amount should be divided
annually into five equal parts and distributed "in the form of prizes to those who
during the preceeding year have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind". He
prescribed that the prizes should be distributed to the person or persons who shall have
made the most important discovery or invention in the field of Physics, Chemistry and
Physiology or Medicine, and to the person who shall have produced outstanding work in the
field of Literature, and to the person who shall have done the best work for fraternity
between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for holding and
promoting Peace Congresses. Later on, in the year 1968, the Bank of Sweden instituted the
Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel, pledging an annual
amount to the Nobel Foundation equal to one of the regular Nobel Prizes.
The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry,
Physiology or Medicine and Literature and the prize in Economic Sciences are presented
annually to the laureates by the Swedish King at a special ceremony usually held in
Stockholm Concert Hall on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The
Peace Prize presentation also takes place on the same day, at the Oslo City Hall. Each
laureate receives a Nobel Gold Medal and a Nobel Diploma along with a substantial cash
award. The awards are widely recognized as the world’s highest civic honour, which
inspire recipients and potential candidates to new efforts in their scientific and
literary achievements and humanitarian endeavours throughout the world.
This year, the highest profiled award amongst
the lot, the Nobel Peace Prize comprising 10 million Swedish Kronor (US $ 940,000) has
been conferred on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the UN jointly. To mark 100 years of
the coveted awards, a three day peace symposium on "Conflict Resolution" was
held in Oslo recently in the presence of 28 Nobel Peace Prize winners or representatives
of winning institutions to discuss global conflict in the 21st century. During the
deliberations, many of the Nobel laureates denounced terrorism, which could be better
fought by addressing social problems such as poverty, health, humanity, hunger and
eliminating weapons of mass destructions than with military strikes, which could infringe
on civil liberties. Most of the delegates also showed their deep concern over the Nobel
Awards Ceremony being overshadowed by escalating violence in the Middle East and the
global fight against terrorism. Some argued that, while thousands lost their lives in the
wake of the September 11 terror attacks, on the same day some 7,000 people must have also
lost their lives because of HIV/AIDS alone.
It is an inexplicable irony that during the past
100 years, 109 worthy international personalities have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize,
yet the past century will be remembered as the bloodiest century. Even after 100 years of
the founding of the Noble Peace Prize, there have been about 250 wars, great or small,
killing more than 110 million people including 60 million civilians.
Sweden, a country with the best of liberal
aspirations, a model welfare state with a vibrant civil society championing the cause of
peace, human rights, democracy and development on the international front, is also worried
about its place in the world due to recent developments. People such as peace researchers
and political activists, who value the continuity and preservation of Swedish neutrality
and non-alignment, now stand to be concerned.
During this historic moment of celebrating the
Nobel centenary, it is pertinent to understand that it is more difficult to win the hearts
of the people than winning a battle. Hatred breeds hatred, violence breeds violence and an
eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. As such, the law of love and
compassion must be recognized in international affairs.
In authoritarian societies, people may readily
be led into war by their governments. But in free societies, people may find themselves
under the compulsion of waging war in order to protect and preserve their liberties and to
bring terrorists to justice. Nevertheless, warfare is always negative leading to
destruction that leaves a permanent scar. As such, Peace should be the common language of
the day, which every responsible government or citizen must speak to their people because
the will of the people worldwide is for lasting peace.
Mahatma Gandhi, who was not conferred the
prestigious Nobel Peace Prize despite being nominated five times, was nevertheless one of
the greatest advocates of truth and non-violence. He said peace is possible only where
truth is pursued. He also once said, "If I kill a man who obstructs me, I may
experience a sense of false security. But the security will be short-lived. For I shall
not have dealt with the root cause. In due course, other men will surely rise to obstruct
me. My business therefore, is not to kill the man or men who obstruct me, but to discover
the cause that impels them to obstruct me and deal with it."
The following Chinese proverb may inspire all of
us to pursue peace - "If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in
the character. If there will be beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the
home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is
order in the nation, there will be peace in the world."
During this momentous moment of the Nobel Prize
Centennial Celebrations, a fitting tribute to Alfred Nobel would be to pledge ourselves to
the path of peace and compassion, offer workable solutions to the problems that plague
mankind, wipe every tear from every human eyes and banish injustice, inequalities and
hatred from every human heart.
(The author is Honorary Consul General for
Sweden)
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