salomeU2000
The Fly
[SIMG]http://bonovox.interference.com/introspect/peaceprizethumb.gif[/SIMG]
By Debbie Kreuser
On 10 December 2003, the 102nd Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded in Oslo, Norway. The award will be conferred on the individual and/or organization that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee feels contributed the "greatest benefit on mankind" during the year.
Bono is nominated this year (as he has been for the last several years) to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. With his highly publicized trips to Africa, the establishment of DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), his work with the International Jubilee "Drop the Debt" campaign, his advocacy for human rights and democracy in Burma and the very successful passage of the Global AIDS Act in the U.S. Congress earlier this year (in which DATA had a major role in its creation and passage), Bono has an excellent chance of finally receiving this most prestigious award.
If he wins, Bono would join an illustrious list of previous Nobel Peace Prize awardees. The list includes:
1) 1964 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2) 1977 Amnesty International
3) 1979 Mother Teresa
4) 1983 Lech Walesa
5) 1984 Rev. Desmond Tutu
6) 1989 the Dalai Lama
7) 1991 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
8) 1993 Nelson Mandela
9) 1998 David Trimble /John Hume
10) 2001 Kofi Annan /the United Nations
HISTORY
When Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist/scientist who invented dynamite died on 10 December 1896, he left in his will the stipulation that the profits made from his invention be used to reward the best of human ingenuity. In June 1900, King Oscar II approved the statutes which established the Nobel Foundation, consisting of a Board of Directors comprised of a chairman and five members.
According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, the Norwegian Nobel Institute was established in 1904 "to follow the development of international relations, especially the work for their peaceful adjustment, and thereby to guide the Committee in the matter of the award of the prize".
SELECTION
The process of selecting the nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize begins each autumn when the secretary of the Committee sends out thousands of invitations around the world soliciting names for consideration of the next year's award. The right to make nominations is restricted to past/present members of the Committee and its advisors, members of national assemblies and governments, university professors and former winners of the Peace Prize, amongst several others.
Nominations are sorted through and a list of official nominees is to be ready for the first meeting of the entire Committee by 1 February of the awarding year. The Committee will look to see evidence of how a candidate qualifies for nomination - the work the candidate has done and the lasting effect the candidate's work has in conferring "the greatest benefit on mankind".
During the months of September/October, the final list of nominees is submitted for the Committee's decision. The decision (and public announcement) of the next Nobel Peace Prize recipient is made no later than 15 November of the awarding year.
CEREMONY
The official ceremonies include the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize at 1:00 PM on 10 December, a banquet in honor of the laureate that evening and the laureate's Nobel speech, usually given the same day. The formal presentation of the award takes place in the auditorium (the Aula) of the university, which seats 650 people.
The Peace Prize consists of a gold medal (one side bearing the head of Alfred Nobel with the other side inscribed with the words "For Peace and Fraternity of Peoples" with three figures joining arms), a diploma bearing the award decree and a sizeable amount of money, which can either be personally kept by the recipient or donated to charitable causes the recipient is involved with.
CONCLUSION
Will Bono win this year's Nobel Peace Prize? While no one knows for sure, his chances look good, considering that in recent years the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has moved more directly in awarding the Prize to influence social opinion and governmental action.
Bono has worked tirelessly over the last twenty years to bring the world's focus to some of the most dire and important issues regarding world peace and social justice. From "the troubles" in northern Ireland to the famine in Ethiopia (Live Aid) to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa to the plight of political prisoners around the world especially Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma (AI) to potential threats to our environment through his (and U2's) "Stop Sellafield" and other activities with Greenpeace to his well respected work with the international Jubilee "Drop the Debt? movement to alleviate the debt burdens of the world's poorest countries to the establishment of DATA, the African advocacy organization which has been instrumental in the passage of the Global AIDS Act, Bono has always stood on the side of international peace and justice and has consistently espoused nonviolence as the only lasting way to achieve these goals.
Bono has used his fame and notoriety to advance co-operation and understanding between countries and across cultural differences.
Along with his social activism, Bono has given the world a treasure of songs that plead for peace and justice and encourage each of us to "dream out loud" and "become the change" that we want to see in the world. From classics like "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", "Please", "Pride (In the Name of Love)", and "Walk On" to lesser known songs like "Silver and Gold", "Staring at the Sun", "Peace on Earth" and the beautiful "American Prayer" from DATA's Heart of America tour, Bono's lyrics (and U2's music) have broadened millions of people's awareness of injustice in our world and have created/encouraged thousands of social activists!
Bono, maybe more than any other person in our world today, has been able to build bridges and forge alliances without regard to political ideology or religious denomination. He has helped us ALL to see just how interconnected we are and has been able to mobilize "grassroots" support to effect REAL change in international governmental policies to SAVE LIVES and to improve the living standards of the world's poorest people.
Bono has given hope to the disheartened, understanding to the outcast and love to the bulk of humanity who feel that no one cares about them. He has made and is making a real difference for GOOD in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. And in that spirit, Bono is the PERFECT candidate to win the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In its broadest context, the Nobel Peace Prize has become a celebration of lives that are an inspiration for us all because of their unselfish service to humanity.
And the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has increasingly honored recipients not only for their work for international peace, but also for their work for human rights and social justice, perhaps understanding that the ONLY lasting foundation for peace in our world is through social justice.
So, BONNE CHANCE, BUONA FORTUNA (and Good Luck in every language spoken in the world) to Bono - may he be the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate! For all that he has done to make our world a better place and for all that he inspires in us that we can do to make our world a better place, he more than deserves this award!
"I know that I can't change the world, but TOGETHER WE CAN!"
- Bono on MTV's "Diary?
By Debbie Kreuser
On 10 December 2003, the 102nd Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded in Oslo, Norway. The award will be conferred on the individual and/or organization that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee feels contributed the "greatest benefit on mankind" during the year.
Bono is nominated this year (as he has been for the last several years) to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. With his highly publicized trips to Africa, the establishment of DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), his work with the International Jubilee "Drop the Debt" campaign, his advocacy for human rights and democracy in Burma and the very successful passage of the Global AIDS Act in the U.S. Congress earlier this year (in which DATA had a major role in its creation and passage), Bono has an excellent chance of finally receiving this most prestigious award.
If he wins, Bono would join an illustrious list of previous Nobel Peace Prize awardees. The list includes:
1) 1964 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2) 1977 Amnesty International
3) 1979 Mother Teresa
4) 1983 Lech Walesa
5) 1984 Rev. Desmond Tutu
6) 1989 the Dalai Lama
7) 1991 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
8) 1993 Nelson Mandela
9) 1998 David Trimble /John Hume
10) 2001 Kofi Annan /the United Nations
HISTORY
When Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist/scientist who invented dynamite died on 10 December 1896, he left in his will the stipulation that the profits made from his invention be used to reward the best of human ingenuity. In June 1900, King Oscar II approved the statutes which established the Nobel Foundation, consisting of a Board of Directors comprised of a chairman and five members.
According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, the Norwegian Nobel Institute was established in 1904 "to follow the development of international relations, especially the work for their peaceful adjustment, and thereby to guide the Committee in the matter of the award of the prize".
SELECTION
The process of selecting the nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize begins each autumn when the secretary of the Committee sends out thousands of invitations around the world soliciting names for consideration of the next year's award. The right to make nominations is restricted to past/present members of the Committee and its advisors, members of national assemblies and governments, university professors and former winners of the Peace Prize, amongst several others.
Nominations are sorted through and a list of official nominees is to be ready for the first meeting of the entire Committee by 1 February of the awarding year. The Committee will look to see evidence of how a candidate qualifies for nomination - the work the candidate has done and the lasting effect the candidate's work has in conferring "the greatest benefit on mankind".
During the months of September/October, the final list of nominees is submitted for the Committee's decision. The decision (and public announcement) of the next Nobel Peace Prize recipient is made no later than 15 November of the awarding year.
CEREMONY
The official ceremonies include the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize at 1:00 PM on 10 December, a banquet in honor of the laureate that evening and the laureate's Nobel speech, usually given the same day. The formal presentation of the award takes place in the auditorium (the Aula) of the university, which seats 650 people.
The Peace Prize consists of a gold medal (one side bearing the head of Alfred Nobel with the other side inscribed with the words "For Peace and Fraternity of Peoples" with three figures joining arms), a diploma bearing the award decree and a sizeable amount of money, which can either be personally kept by the recipient or donated to charitable causes the recipient is involved with.
CONCLUSION
Will Bono win this year's Nobel Peace Prize? While no one knows for sure, his chances look good, considering that in recent years the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has moved more directly in awarding the Prize to influence social opinion and governmental action.
Bono has worked tirelessly over the last twenty years to bring the world's focus to some of the most dire and important issues regarding world peace and social justice. From "the troubles" in northern Ireland to the famine in Ethiopia (Live Aid) to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa to the plight of political prisoners around the world especially Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma (AI) to potential threats to our environment through his (and U2's) "Stop Sellafield" and other activities with Greenpeace to his well respected work with the international Jubilee "Drop the Debt? movement to alleviate the debt burdens of the world's poorest countries to the establishment of DATA, the African advocacy organization which has been instrumental in the passage of the Global AIDS Act, Bono has always stood on the side of international peace and justice and has consistently espoused nonviolence as the only lasting way to achieve these goals.
Bono has used his fame and notoriety to advance co-operation and understanding between countries and across cultural differences.
Along with his social activism, Bono has given the world a treasure of songs that plead for peace and justice and encourage each of us to "dream out loud" and "become the change" that we want to see in the world. From classics like "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", "Please", "Pride (In the Name of Love)", and "Walk On" to lesser known songs like "Silver and Gold", "Staring at the Sun", "Peace on Earth" and the beautiful "American Prayer" from DATA's Heart of America tour, Bono's lyrics (and U2's music) have broadened millions of people's awareness of injustice in our world and have created/encouraged thousands of social activists!
Bono, maybe more than any other person in our world today, has been able to build bridges and forge alliances without regard to political ideology or religious denomination. He has helped us ALL to see just how interconnected we are and has been able to mobilize "grassroots" support to effect REAL change in international governmental policies to SAVE LIVES and to improve the living standards of the world's poorest people.
Bono has given hope to the disheartened, understanding to the outcast and love to the bulk of humanity who feel that no one cares about them. He has made and is making a real difference for GOOD in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. And in that spirit, Bono is the PERFECT candidate to win the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In its broadest context, the Nobel Peace Prize has become a celebration of lives that are an inspiration for us all because of their unselfish service to humanity.
And the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has increasingly honored recipients not only for their work for international peace, but also for their work for human rights and social justice, perhaps understanding that the ONLY lasting foundation for peace in our world is through social justice.
So, BONNE CHANCE, BUONA FORTUNA (and Good Luck in every language spoken in the world) to Bono - may he be the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate! For all that he has done to make our world a better place and for all that he inspires in us that we can do to make our world a better place, he more than deserves this award!
"I know that I can't change the world, but TOGETHER WE CAN!"
- Bono on MTV's "Diary?
