Brussels, March 3, 2020 (DW / The Nobel Prize). Last week, the Nobel Committee announced that more than 300 nominations have been made for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

 

The total nominees comprised 210 individuals and 107 organizations, the Nobel Committee said, adding that it was the fourth highest number of candidates ever.

 

The record of 376 candidates was set in 2016 when the panel selected President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia as laureate, citing his role in ending a half-century-long civil war.

 

The nominees include teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and imprisoned Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul.

 

In 2019, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.

 

The Nobel Prize nomination processes start in September each year. Thousands of members of academies, university professors, scientists, previous Nobel Laureates and members of parliamentary assemblies and others, are asked to submit candidates for the Nobel Prizes for the coming year.

 

After receiving all nominations, the Nobel Committees of the four prize-awarding institutions are responsible for the selection of the candidates. The names of the nominees cannot be revealed until 50 years later. However, not all nominators abide by that suggestion.

 

The committee is set to announce the winner in October.