Democracy on the Brink
Every year, the Nobel Peace Center creates an exhibition about the latest Nobel Peace Prize. This year's exhibition highlights the work of María Corina Machado and the opposition in Venezuela and shows how their fight for democracy has become a symbol of a broader global challenge. Across the world democracy is in retreat and authoritarian power is on the rise.
“This year’s Nobel Peace Prize reminds us how important it is to stand up for democracy, what we risk losing if we don’t, and how bad things can get when authoritarian leaders seize power”, the director of the Nobel Peace Center, Kjersti Fløgstad, says.
A lost generation
The Nobel Peace Center has cooperated with Magnum photographer Emin Özmen for the exhibition. He travelled to Colombia in November to meet young, exiled Venezuelans, and through photos and video interviews he portrays a lost generation.
“These young people don’t see a future for themselves in Venezuela. They have given up hope for their country, but they haven’t given up hope for themselves. That is why they leave”, Özmen says.
More than 8 million people, or a quarter of the population, have fled Venezuela since 2014. Those who remain live in poverty and fear, while they miss their exiled family members. A photo series Özmen made in Venezuela in 2019 shows images of protesters and political upheaval, but also the poverty and despair that lies behind the tensions.
Many reactions
The peace prize to María Corina Machado provoked a great number of reactions from across the world. Some of them are featured in the exhibition.
“The engagement the prize has evoked, provides a good opportunity to discuss the state of democracy in the world today”, Fløgstad says. “The global political divide in our time, is not left vs right, but democracy vs dictatorship. Are we willing, as Maria Corina Machado, to work across political divisions to protect democracy? We invite our visitors to take part in that discussion.”
- Media is invited to a preview of the exhibition on Tuesday 9 December at 9:00-11.00. Sign up with ibr@nobelpeacecenter.org to attend.
- The official opening takes place on 11 December at 17:30-18:30. Open for a limited number of press only. Apply to: ibr@nobelpeacecenter.org for accreditation.
- The Nobel Peace Prize exhibition opens to the public on 12 December and will be showing until autumn 2026.
About the photographer
Emin Özmen is a prize awarded documentary photographer and a member of Magnum Photos. He is concerned with documenting human rights violations in his home country of Turkey and around the world. He aims to bring attention to the suffering of those who are victims of civil unrest and social injustice. He has worked in Syria and Iraq, South Sudan, Niger, Nigeria and other countries in crisis. In 2019 he travelled to Venezuela to cover the protests, resulting in the series: A Portrait of Unrest in Venezuela
His work has been published by TIME magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Der Spiegel, Le Monde magazine M, Paris Match, Newsweek, among others.
About the Nobel Peace Center
- one of Norway's most visited museums, with more than 200.000 visitors per year, including school groups
- presents the story of Alfred Nobel, the Nobel Peace Prize laureates and their work
- is situated in the heart of Oslo, near the City Hall
- Kjersti Fløgstad is the Executive Director, Kristian Berg Harpviken is Chair of the Board
- Main partners are Hydro and Reitan Retail
Share:
Press contact
Ingvill Bryn Rambøl
ibr@nobelpeacecenter.org
Phone: +47 924 52 944