The Nobel Peace Prize 2022

Before you learn more about this year’s peace prize laureates, there are some terms you should think about. Describe the terms with your own words.

Democracy
Dictatorship
Human rights
Human rights advocate
Civil society
Active citizenship
Freedom of expression
Freedom of association
Rule of law

Watch the film clip and answer these questions:

1. Who are the three peace prize laureates? What countries are they from?

2. Why have these three been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year?

3. Give examples of how one or more of the laureates have criticized the authorities in their countries.

4. In the interview, Asle Toje, the Deputy Leader of the Nobel Comittee, mentions how previous peace prize laureates have been obstructed in their struggles for human rights. What examples does he give?

1. Why do the authorities in some countries, including Belarus and Russia, want to obstruct the work of human rights advocates and human rights organizations?

2. Why is it a democratic problem if freedom of expression and freedom of association are restricted?

3. If you, like Ales Bialiatsky, risked imprisonment or other forms of punishment for what you believed in, would you still fight for it?

4. With this year's Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee has highlighted how individuals and organizations can make an important difference for society and democracy.How could you participate in democracy? Are there any issues you care about more than others?

The Nobel Committee has a long and proud tradition of awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to human rights and democracy advocates, including some figures from the English-speaking world who you might have encountered in your English classes?

Choose one of the previous peace prize laureates from the list below and make a presentation about this winner, why the prize was awarded, and how their work compares to that of this year’s laureates.

Some human rights and democracy Nobel Peace Prize laureates:

• Albert Lutuli (South Africa, 1960)
• Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. (USA, 1964)
• Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams (Northern Ireland, 1976)
• Desmond Tutu (South Africa, 1984)
• Nelson Mandela (South Africa, 1993)
• Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai (India and Pakistan, 2014)
• Maria Ressa (The Philippines), 2021