Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony held in Oslo
The award ceremony for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has taken place, marking one of the most prominent annual events in global diplomacy and human-rights advocacy, News.Az reports.
According to APA, the ceremony was hosted at Oslo City Hall, the traditional venue for the Peace Prize presentation since 1990 and a symbolic location associated with international dialogue and reconciliation.
This year’s laureate, Venezuelan politician, opposition leader and human-rights advocate María Corina Machado, did not attend the ceremony due to the political circumstances in her country and ongoing restrictions imposed on opposition figures. As a result, the Nobel Peace Prize was accepted on her behalf by her daughter, Ana Corina Machado, who delivered brief remarks expressing gratitude to the international community for its support of democratic aspirations in Venezuela.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee had announced its decision on October 10 to award the Peace Prize to María Corina Machado, recognizing her prominent role in advocating democratic reforms and defending fundamental freedoms in Venezuela.
Why was she awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?
The Nobel Committee emphasized that Machado was selected “for her tireless efforts to advance the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people and for her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
Her activities, which span more than two decades, have focused on mobilizing civil society, strengthening democratic institutions, documenting human-rights violations and promoting a peaceful path out of Venezuela’s prolonged political and socioeconomic crisis.
The Committee further noted that Machado’s efforts represent “the essence of peaceful democratic activism,” highlighting her resilience despite arrests, physical threats, disqualification from public office and sustained political pressure.
Who is María Corina Machado?
María Corina Machado is considered one of the most influential modern figures in Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement. Born on October 7, 1967, in Caracas, she built her political career on promoting liberal-democratic principles, institutional reform and human-rights protection.
She is the founder and leader of the opposition political movement Vente Venezuela, which advocates economic liberalization, political pluralism and closer integration with democratic nations.
Machado emerged as a national figure in the early 2000s through her activism and became a member of the National Assembly. In 2014, she was stripped of her parliamentary mandate following her involvement in nationwide protests against President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Since then, she has faced continuous attempts by authorities to sideline her from the political arena, including bans on running for office and harassment of her supporters.
Despite this, Machado has remained a central symbol of resistance and is widely recognized internationally for her advocacy on democracy, rule of law and human rights. Analysts describe her Nobel recognition as a significant moral victory for Venezuela’s democratic movement.
Which organization received the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize?
The previous year’s Nobel Peace Prize, for 2024, was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization representing survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Also known as the Hibakusha Movement, the organization has for decades campaigned for nuclear disarmament and global peace.
The Nobel Committee stated that Hidankyo was selected for “its powerful and enduring testimony on the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons” and for its efforts to ensure such weapons are never used again. Survivors’ firsthand accounts have played a central role in shaping international awareness of nuclear risks and informing global disarmament initiatives.
The award was widely viewed as a reminder of the urgent need to address growing nuclear tensions worldwide, especially amid deteriorating international security and emerging arms-race dynamics.
A tradition linked to Alfred Nobel’s legacy
The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held each year on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor, industrialist and philanthropist whose will established the Nobel Prizes. Unlike the other Nobel awards, which are presented in Stockholm, the Peace Prize is uniquely awarded in Oslo. This distinction reflects Nobel’s decision to entrust the Peace Prize to Norway, which at the time of his death was part of a union with Sweden but had a strong tradition of peaceful arbitration and diplomacy.
Each year, the ceremony gathers global leaders, diplomats, activists and scholars, turning Oslo into a focal point of international attention. The event includes musical performances, speeches by Nobel Committee members, and the formal handover of the Nobel diploma and medal to the laureate or their representative.
Global reaction and significance
International observers have described the awarding of the 2025 Peace Prize to Machado as a strong message in support of democratic struggles worldwide. Human-rights organizations noted that the recognition highlights the challenges facing activists in authoritarian contexts and underscores the international community’s responsibility to safeguard democratic values.
For Venezuela, the award is viewed as both symbolic and strategic. Political analysts argue that it may increase pressure on the government to engage in credible political dialogue, while simultaneously strengthening the morale of civil society and opposition groups.
Several Latin American leaders and international institutions issued statements welcoming the decision, describing Machado’s recognition as “a tribute to all Venezuelans seeking peace, dignity and democratic renewal.”
The Nobel Peace Prize continues to play an influential role in global affairs, drawing attention to individuals and organizations that shape the world’s pursuit of peace, justice and human rights. This year’s ceremony in Oslo reaffirmed the enduring relevance of those efforts in an era marked by political polarization, humanitarian crises and intensifying geopolitical tensions.
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