From a total of 318 candidates, this year the Nobel Peace Prize is grabbed by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in recognition of their work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons. Founded in Vienna in 2007, ICAN works with 468 non-governmental organisations across 101 countries including rights, developmental, environmental and peace groups.
Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the ICAN said that the award sends a message to all those states who continue to rely on nuclear weapons for security as they pose a constant threat to humanity and all life on earth. The only way to prevent their use is to eliminate them he further added. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which decides the winner said that the intention was neither to rebuke Donald Trump nor to snub the architects of the Iran nuclear deal.
ICAN aims to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons with the cooperation of the world’s nations and all relevant stakeholders. This year’s Peace Prize is also a call upon these states to initiate serious negotiations with a view to ending the use of nuclear weapons. Many of the world’s famous and powerful people voice their support for the organisation’s mission on its website. ” I can imagine a world without nuclear weapons,¬† and I support ICAN”, The Dalai Lama declares. Also the actor and activist Martin Sheen quoted that “If Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr were alive today, they would be a part of ICAN”.
