Crossroads Ethiopia

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The Nobel Mystery

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 - Announcement

PODCAST:

The Time is Now: Women Leading Middle East Uprisings

2019 was a year of global uprisings, with millions taking to the streets fighting for freedom and democracy. In 2020, the movement continues. In Iran, the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane re-ignited the anti-government protests, and similar mass demonstrations are taking place in Iraq and Lebanon, demanding social and political change.

Many of the leading activists are women, and together with Oslo Women’s Rights Initiative and Civita, we invite you to listen to courageous stories featuring prominent female activists from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.

From idea to reality 

All-female team of Yazidi deminers

On 10 October 2012, a 15-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl called Malala hovered between life and death. The day before, she had been shot by the Taliban while riding the school bus. They wanted to stop Malala’s fight for the right of girls to go to school. The doctors managed to save Malala’s life.

To the day, two years later, on 10 October 2014, came the news that she had become the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, for her fearless efforts to promote the right of children and young people to go to school. Malala herself was busy with a chemistry lesson when the news was announced. It says a lot about her that she waited until the end of the school day to comment on the award.

When we set about creating the Nobel Peace Prize exhibition about Malala and Kailash, her fellow laureate, Malala herself suggested to put the school uniform on display. No one in Malala’s circle knew that the family had kept the blood-soaked garment.

Now it was to be presented publicly for the first time. It was carefully shipped from Birmingham in the UK to Oslo, where it was put on display at the heart of the Peace Prize exhibition.

The trousers and shawl, that had once been white, were covered in dried blood. And it could clearly be seen how the doctors cut away the uniform as they battled to save the severely injured girl. The uniform tells the story of Malala’s fearless struggle for the right of children to go to school and to express themselves freely. 

By showing her uniform, Malala wanted her story and her message to reach out to many people. In an interview she gave specially for the exhibition, Malala said: “The uniform is an important part of my life, and now I want to show it to other children and people all over the world. For it is my right, and the right of every child, to go to school. And we must not forget that.”

Malala and her uniform 

The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition is a portrait of this year´s Peace Prize Laureate PM Abiy Ahmed Ali, and Ethiopia´s ongoing process towards peace and democracy.

The exhibition is a portrait of the Laureate himself, but it is also a close-up on change, hope and challenges in his country. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia was awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his reforms in his country and for his efforts to create peace with neighbouring country Eritrea.

Only days after the announcement of this year´s Laureate, award-winning photographer Finbarr O`Reilly traveled to Ethiopia, on assignment by the Nobel Peace Center, to create a series of photographs of the country and the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

"I had very limited time with the Laureate—just a few minutes to make a handful of portraits. So, I focused on documenting some of the political changes implemented by the Laureate, and how he has positioned himself to lead his country as it heads towards elections scheduled for next year," said O´Reilly when asked about the Nobel-assignment.

O´Reilly has captured some of the women assigned to power in Abiy´s new government and how the changes inflicts the society in Addis Ababa. He has also visited the disputed areas of the North were traces of the conflict with Eritrea still lingers.

In November 2018, Dr. Abiy appointed lawyer and women’s rights activist Meaza Ashenafi as President of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa has a thriving photograph scene which is also depicted in one part of the exhibition with photographs captured by Ethiopia´s seven highest ranking photographers, curated by Aida Muluneh. The images show the transition the county has gone through. 

A part of the exhibition shows works by Ethiopian photographers from Addis Photo Fest archives, co-curated by Aida Muluneh, Desta for Africa Creative Consulting Plc (DFA).

The Exhibition is supported by the City of Oslo, 5th element group and Canon (print&imaging partner).

The Nobel Mystery

Malala and her uniform

Crossroads Ethiopia

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Crossroads Ethiopia

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