PeaceJam | Who Are The Nobel Laureates

Who Are The Nobel Laureates?

The Global Call to Action is a message to the youth of all nations. It comes from a group of people who have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place. They are from different countries, different walks of life and different cultures, but they all have one thing in common: They have each been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded yearly to one or more people who have acted to create a more peaceful world. Sometimes working for peace means helping to stop war and violence. Sometimes it means standing up to dictatorship and fighting for human rights. It can also mean protecting the planet and our environment. Many Nobel laureates have risked their lives to defy powerful forces and hostile governments.

If you are lucky enough to meet one of the GCA Nobel Laureates, you may be surprised to find that these world-famous people are quite down-to-earth. Their experiences in fighting for change have taught them that all great change starts with patient, small steps. They know that change is made by many people working together and that is why they are asking you to join them, get involved and answer the Call to Action.

Want to learn more about the Nobel Prize?

		The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his nonviolent efforts to resolve the Tibetan conflict and for his worldwide role as a man of peace and advocate for the environment.

		Archbishop Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his courageous leadership in efforts to find a nonviolent solution to the conflicts over the policy of apartheid in South Africa.

		Shirin Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her efforts for democracy, peace, and women's rights in the Middle East.

		Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980 for his leadership for human rights and true democracy for the people of Latin America.

		Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her nonviolent leadership of the democratic opposition in Burma, following the principles of Gandhi. She has been under house arrest since 1989.

		Mairead Corrigan Maguire, along with Betty Williams, was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for her efforts to create a grassroots movement to end the violence in Northern Ireland. She continues to work for peace and understanding in Ireland and around the world.

		Betty Williams, along with Mairead Corrigan Maguire, was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for her efforts to create a grassroots movement to end the violence in Northern Ireland. She currently serves as the president of World Centers of Compassion for Children.

		José Ramos-Horta was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his sustained efforts to end the oppression of the East Timorese people.

		President Oscar Arias Sanchez, current President of Costa Rica, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the years of conflict and war in Central America.

		Rigoberta Menchú Tum was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for her work as a peaceful advocate of native Indian rights in Central America and for her leadership among indigenous peoples worldwide.

		Jody Williams of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her work in creating an international treaty to ban landmines and for the clearing of anti-personnel landmine fields.

		Sir Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conference on Science & World Affairs were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, for their efforts to diminish the part played by nuclear arms in international politics and, in the longer run, to eliminate such arms.