Greta Thunberg, WHO, Navalny Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

(Photo Courtesy: AP)

Backed by the Norwegian government, climate change activist Great Thunberg, Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and the World Health Organization are among the candidates nominated for Nobel Peace Prize this year.

According to a survey conducted by Reuters, the Norwegian lawmakers have nominated Thunberg, Navalny, and the WHO with its COVID-19 vaccine programme which aims to secure fair access to the vaccines in poorer countries.

Thunberg, who is the co-founder of Fridays for Future, was named "the foremost spokespeople in the fight against the climate crisis," Reuters quoted.

Norwegian former minister Ola Elvestuen backed Navalny for "efforts for a peaceful democratisation of Russia." He was nominated by Russian academics.

The GAVI vaccine alliance also received a nomination, as the battle against COVID-19 health crisis continues all over the world.

Geir Sigbjoern Toskedal has nominated Belarusian activists Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Maria Kolesnikova and Veronika Tsepkalo for their "fight for a fair election and inspiration for peaceful resistance,” Reuters reported.

Jette Christensen, another nominator has named a human rights group, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, as well as IUSTITIA, an organisation of Polish judges committed to defending civil rights.

Nominees also include organisations dedicated to protecting freedom of information and speech, including the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists; former Charlie Hebdo journalist Zineb el Rhazoui; news website Hong Kong Free Press, US-based International Fact-Checking Network and Paris-based Reporters without Borders (RSF), Reuters reported.

Former US President Donald Trump, NATO and the UN refugee agency are also among the names nominated for the Prize.

Also on the list is Aminatou Haidar, for her peaceful campaigning towards an independent Western Sahara, the International Space Station and the International Scout Movement.

Looking at the Norwegian lawmakers’ history of nominating the eventual winner of the prize since 2014 (except 2019), Henrik Urdal, the Director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo noted that the pattern was “quite stunning.”

Ranging from members of parliaments of the world to former winners of the prize, thousands of people are eligible to put forward candidates. The Norwegian Nobel Committee needn’t endorse the nominations.

While the Committee decides the winner of the prize, it has always kept names of the nominators and the unsuccessful nominees confidential. However, Reuters reported that nominators can choose to reveal their picks.

The 2021 Nobel Peace laureate is set to be announced in October.

(With inputs from Reuters)