Gaza Herald – The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday from Oslo that Navanethem Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The committee honored the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and International Court of Justice judge for her efforts in promoting peace and international law.
Pillay, who is of South African origin and is eighty-five years old, previously chaired an independent UN commission. That body concluded its investigation by accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Committee Chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes stated that Pillay was recognized for her dedication to strengthening global peace and legal frameworks. He emphasized that her work serves as a source of hope and inspiration for all those striving to spread peace worldwide.
Frydnes revealed that the committee had not managed to contact Pillay at the moment of the announcement to inform her of the win. The award is considered the highest honorary distinction in the world.
The committee noted a common thread connecting Pillay’s career, from her early defense of Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists to her role as a judge in major contemporary international court cases.
A statement from the committee highlighted that the world is witnessing an escalation in wars and conflicts. It pointed out that judges and international law institutions are facing political attacks, stressing that resolving disputes without force must rely on the rule of law.
The organization added that an international legal system holding war criminals accountable and granting justice to victims of violations is a fundamental condition for achieving a peaceful world.
This year, the committee received nominations for two hundred and eighty-seven candidates. Organizations accounted for slightly more than a quarter of these nominations. Last year, the prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for her struggle for democratic transition.
Four other prizes were announced earlier this week in medicine, physics, chemistry, and literature. The winner for the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences will be announced on Monday.
The monetary value of each prize this year is twelve million Swedish kronor, which amounts to approximately one point two million dollars. This year marks the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the Peace Prize, established in 1901.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
