When Nobel Peace Prize will be held on Norway this Friday, the biggest war in 70 years is raging on the European continent.
The ongoing conflict between Russia in Ukraine means that this year's statement will be one of the most watched and complicated decisions recently made by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
Peace Prize—one of the most coveted honors of mankind—often offers hope in uncertain times. But experts in the field of peace and security warn that a bleak geopolitical situation could mess up the 2022 awards.
"Sometimes, it's hard to figure out who will win this award because there are many possible candidates," said Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Institute (SIPRI). "It's hard to determine who will win this award this year, because there's nothing good about it in a world of peace and security." The
Nobel Prize winner is known for being extremely difficult to predict, and the thinking process behind each choice is shrouded in secret. But experts highlighted a brief list of front-runners, while also potentially surprising decisions.
for most of the first and World War II , and on some other occasions, did not award the Peace Prize. But the award is often used to highlight other ongoing conflicts or to provide a beacon of hope when the world is facing a grim time.
This issue will become the primary and central for decision makers in Oslo, Norway, whose mission is to select symbols of peace even if a neighboring country launches war on the European continent.
Smith said the conflict "will greatly affect" their thinking.
Ukrainian President Zelensky is a favorite possible winner of many bookmakers. "Sometimes the prize is to send a message in a rather specific sense," said Smith. He cited the awards awarded to Nelson Mandela and Frederick William De Kleck in 1993, who were negotiating for the first public election in South Africa after the end of apartheid.
But experts say bookmakers’ odds are rarely a reliable guide for winners because they often exaggerate the relevance of current affairs.
"Zelensky is a war leader and what is happening right now is war. You can admire or not admire the actions he has taken, but it is about war and armed defending his country," Smith said. "This is a fact that deserves respect."
he added, "Hopefully the war will end and they can achieve peace." "If Zelensky or someone else can contribute to the achievement of peace, then we will have time to acknowledge this great achievement."
