Oslo – The Norwegian Nobel Committee is closely monitoring the rapid changes in the international order, looking for individuals or groups that embody the ideals of the Nobel Peace Prize, its secretary said on Monday.

Committee’s focus amid global upheaval

Kristian Berg Harpviken, the secretary of the five‑member committee, prepares the dossiers that inform the deliberations but does not vote. He explained that the committee is taking the current turbulence “very seriously” because many of the trends it observes threaten the core values the prize has upheld since its inception.

“We know what we’re leaving behind, we don’t know how much of it will survive, and in what form, and we certainly don’t know what will come,” Harpviken told Reuters. “That is something that the committee, of course, takes very seriously in its discussions, also because some of the trends we are seeing internationally are trends that are threatening to many of the values that the Nobel Peace Prize has upheld throughout its history.”

Looking for new institutions and initiatives

When asked whether the committee might eventually name a laureate focused on shaping the emerging world order, Harpviken said the answer is clear. He said the committee will be looking for people who, “within the transition period we are now seeing, start to stake out new institutions, new initiatives, new ways of working, that would be in harmony with the very objectives that Alfred Nobel defined in his will.”

Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will calls for the prize to be awarded to the person “who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses.” The committee’s mandate remains rooted in those principles, even as the geopolitical landscape evolves.

Confidence in the prize’s relevance

Harpviken stressed that the current upheaval does not mean a shortage of candidates or a loss of relevance for the Nobel Peace Prize. “I’m not worried about the prize, but I am worried about where the world is heading,” he added, underscoring the committee’s resolve to continue recognizing those who advance peace, even in uncertain times.

The announcement of this year’s laureate is scheduled for Friday, and the committee’s deliberations are expected to reflect the complex challenges of a world in transition.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.