Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons wins Nobel Peace Prize
Belarusian human rights activist Ales Byalyatski was among the nominees.
259 nominees competed for the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Ales Byalyatski did not have a good chance to get it, bookmakers thought. The Nobel Peace prize was awarded to an organization last year too – the European Union received it for “overcoming the aftermath of the WWII”.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was created on April 29, 1997. It monitors the usage of chemical weapons and helps liquidate them.
The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo ever year. 90 politicians, civil activists and international organizations have received it since 1901. Swiss Henry Dunant was the first laureate. The International Association of the Red Cross and Crescent that he founded has received the prize thrice since then. The prize was not awarded for 19 years due to war or absence of good candidates.
