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Past Nobel Peace Prize Winners Include Controversies and Omissions
The Nobel Peace Prize is given to people or groups recognized for work toward peace.
This article looks at several famous winners and one person who never won.
Nelson Mandela shared the 1993 prize with Frederik Willem de Klerk as South Africa moved toward democracy.
Some people thought Mandela should have received the award alone.
Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho received the 1973 prize for a peace agreement connected to the Vietnam War.
Tho refused the prize because, he said, peace had not yet been established.
Aung San Suu Kyi was honoured for opposing military rule without violence, but later faced criticism over the Rohingya crisis.
Mahatma Gandhi was considered several times but was never awarded the prize.
The winner for 2026 is scheduled to be announced in Oslo on Friday.
The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner is due to be announced Friday in Oslo.
Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk shared the 1993 prize to encourage South Africa’s peaceful transition to democracy.
Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho received the 1973 prize for the Paris Peace Accords; Tho refused it, and committee members resigned in protest.
Aung San Suu Kyi was honoured for her non-violent democracy campaign, but later faced criticism over her response to the military’s actions against the Rohingya.
Mahatma Gandhi was considered for the prize five times but never received it, including in 1948, the year he was assassinated.
- Who
- Past Nobel Peace Prize laureates Nelson Mandela, Frederik Willem de Klerk, Henry Kissinger, Le Duc Tho and Aung San Suu Kyi; Mahatma Gandhi was considered but did not win.
- What
- A review of notable Nobel Peace Prize winners, disputed awards and Gandhi’s omission.
- Where
- The 2026 prize announcement is scheduled for Oslo. The article also discusses events in South Africa, Vietnam and Myanmar.
- When
- The article says the 2026 winner will be announced Friday; it also discusses awards from 1973 and 1993.
- Why
- The article highlights why the awards were made, debated or refused, and why Gandhi was not selected.
Arguments for
Arguments against or concerns
Sharing the 1993 prize
Arguments for
The joint award to Mandela and de Klerk was intended to encourage South Africa’s peaceful transition to democracy.
Arguments against or concerns
Some argued Mandela should have received the prize alone; others questioned whether peace could be made without a counterpart.
The 1973 Vietnam-related award
Arguments for
Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were honoured for reaching the Paris Peace Accords.
Arguments against or concerns
The choice shocked many because the Vietnam War was not expected to end soon; Tho refused the award, and two committee members resigned in protest.
Gandhi’s omission
Arguments for
The committee may have had concerns about offending Britain or viewed Gandhi’s politics as too foreign or anti-modern; partition violence may also have influenced its deliberations.
Arguments against or concerns
Geir Lundestad called Gandhi’s non-award extremely unfortunate, describing him as the 20th century’s leading spokesman for non-violence.
Key facts
- 2026 announcement
- Scheduled for Friday in Oslo.
- 1993 laureates
- Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk shared the prize.
- 1973 laureates
- Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were honoured for reaching the January 1973 Paris Peace Accords.
- Le Duc Tho
- Refused the prize, saying peace had not yet been established.
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- Received the prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy against Myanmar’s military dictatorship.
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Appeared on the committee’s discussion list five times and was not awarded the prize.
- Gandhi in 1948
- The committee was prepared to award him in the year he was assassinated, according to Geir Lundestad.
Quotes
Geir Lundestad
Former secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, quoted in his memoir.
“It is of course extremely unfortunate that the 20th century’s leading spokesman for non-violence never received the Nobel Peace Prize.”
theprint.in
Sources
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