Following widespread criticism, the Nobel Foundation has retracted its invitations to three countries—Russia, Iran, and Belarus—citing the “strong reactions” provoked by these invitations, as reported by CNN.
In a press release issued on Saturday, the Nobel Foundation announced that the ambassadors from these three countries would no longer be invited to the Nobel Prize award ceremony. This decision came after the initial intent to involve even those who did not align with the values of the Nobel Prize.
The decision to invite the Russian and Belarusian ambassadors had previously drawn condemnation, particularly from Ukraine, and was deemed “extremely inappropriate” by a Swedish member of the European Parliament.
Last year, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Russian and Belarusian ambassadors were excluded from the Prize awards ceremony in Stockholm.
The Nobel Foundation stated in its Saturday statement that the decision to invite all ambassadors was made in accordance with past practices but had stirred strong reactions. They explained that the basis for this decision was the belief in the importance of conveying the values and messages championed by the Nobel Prize to as wide an audience as possible.
The foundation also highlighted last year’s political message when the Peace Prize was awarded to human rights advocates from Russia and Belarus, as well as Ukrainians documenting Russian war crimes.
However, the strong negative reactions in Sweden ultimately overshadowed this message. Consequently, the Foundation decided to revert to the exception it made last year by not inviting the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus, and Iran to the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm.
This reversal was welcomed by the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, who praised the Foundation’s new decision. Ukrainian officials also hailed the move, with Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, describing it as a “restoration of justice.”
The annual Banquet takes place on December 10 in Stockholm, where five out of six Nobel Prizes are awarded. The Peace Prize is awarded separately in Oslo, Norway.
The Russia-Ukraine war, which began on February 24, 2022, has resulted in numerous casualties, and tensions between the two nations continue to escalate.
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