Black Lives Matter Movement Nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

Norwegian lawmaker Petter Eide has nominated the Black Lives Matter movement for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.

Although the year may just be getting underway, following the tumultuous summer of 2020 and the continuing regrowth of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., Tim Fitzsimons from NBC News has reported that Eide, a member of Norway’s parliament, has officially made the nomination, citing Black Lives Matter and its founders for their incredible work in the “struggle against racism and racially motivated violence.”

Eide lauded the group’s activism, saying “BLM’s call for systemic change have spread around the world, forcing other countries to grapple with racism within their own societies.”

According to Fitzsimons, in addition to the message BLM offers, Eide also praised the organization for the way it has worked to get out its message, applauding the grassroots movement for its use of an “online platform to provide activists with a shared set of principles and goals,” as well as the depth of its message, which he said, “comprises many views and a broad array of demands.”

“Awarding the Peace Prize to Black Lives Matter, as the global strongest force against racial injustice, will send a powerful message that peace is founded on equality, solidarity and human rights, and that all countries must respect those basic principles,” Eide said.

The Nobel Prize is named after Swedish scientist, inventor and philanthropist Alfred Bernhard Nobel and has been awarded annually (with some exceptions) since 1901. The prestigious Nobel Peace Prize is given to people or groups who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Previous winners include Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and Presidents Jimmy Carter, Theodore Roosevelt and Barack Obama.

Fitzsimons writes that Eide has predicted Black Lives Matter will be “among the favorites” when the winner is announced in October 2021.

 

D.I. Fast Facts

2013

Year that Black Lives Matter movement was founded
Britannica

 

Up to 26 million people

Estimated number of people who participated in BLM marches over the death of George Floyd and others in 2020
The New York Times

 

Related: For more recent diversity and inclusion news, click here.

 

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