The award is granted for outstanding scientific and literary achievements or merits for societies and mankind, established by the last will of the founder, Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite, Alfred Nobel. The first ceremony of this award was held at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm in 1901. ¹⁾

The Nobel Peace Prize is criticized by Norwegian peace activist Fredrik S. Heffermehl for awarding it, in his opinion, against the guidelines of the Nobel Peace Prize itself, especially among the prizes awarded after 1945. Heffermehl believes that the personal preferences of the members of the committee are more important in selecting the winners than the founder's intentions. ²⁾

In the history of the Nobel Peace Prize to date, there have been five instances when it has not been possible for the winners to claim the award in person, mainly for political reasons. For example, in 1935 Adolf Hitler did not release the pacifist Carl von Ossetzky from a labor camp. Then, in 1983, Lech Walesa did not decide to go to Oslo for fear of not being let back into Poland by the then authorities (the prize was claimed by his wife and son). In 2010, the communist regime in China did not release Liu Xiaobo from prison. ³⁾

The Right Livelihood Award was founded in 1980 by the Swedish writer and philanthropist Jakob von Uexküll and is awarded annually to those “working on practical and exemplary solutions to the most urgent challenges the world faces today.” An international jury usually awards four prizes each year to individuals or institutions working for the protection of the environment, human rights, sustainable development, education, peace, etc. Each of the winners receives an award of approximately 55,000 Euros (this does not apply to honorary award winners). The award is sometimes called the “alternative Nobel Prize”. ⁴⁾

John B. Goodenough is the oldest Nobel Prize, winner. In 2019, at the age of 97, he received the Chemistry Award. ⁵⁾