Announcement of the winner will be made this Friday (10) at 6 am (Brasília time) at the Norwegian Nobel Institute, in Oslo
SÃO PAULO, SP (FOLHAPRESS) – The winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced this Friday (10), in Oslo, Norway. Among the names mentioned is that of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who this Wednesday (8) announced the first phase of a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas proposed by him. Trump openly campaigned to be chosen.
Experts, however, consider it unlikely that the Republican will receive the award, as some of his policies contradict the objectives of the award, aimed at promoting international dialogue and cooperation.
Since 1901, the award has recognized notable people and institutions for humanity. The winner’s name will be revealed at 6 am (Brasília time) by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, responsible for choosing from hundreds of nominees every year.
In addition to the medal and diploma, each laureate receives 11 million Swedish kronor (around R$6.3 million). Read more about the Nobel Prize below and understand how the selection of the winner works.
WHO CHOOSES THE WINNER?
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, made up of five members appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. Although many of them are retired politicians, this is not a mandatory rule.
The current committee is chaired by Jorgen Watne Frydnes, leader of the Norwegian section of PEN International, an organization that works in defense of freedom of expression.
The other members are Asle Toje (academic), Anne Enger (former Prime Minister), Kristin Clemet (former Minister of Education) and Gry Larsen (former Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). There is also a secretary, Kristian Harpviken (sociologist and peace researcher), responsible for preparing the commission’s work and who participates in discussions, although he does not have the right to vote. They are all Norwegian.
Nominations to form the group are made by Norwegian parties, and the formation usually reflects the balance of forces in Parliament with the aim of ensuring representation in the decision-making process.
WHO CAN WIN THE PRIZE?
Anyone who meets the criteria defined by the 1895 will of Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the creator of the award. The document determines that the award must be granted to whoever “has done the most or the best to promote fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of permanent Armies and the promotion of peace congresses”.
In practice, however, the choice involves more nuances. According to secretary Kristian Harpviken, the award “needs to be interpreted in light of the current context”.
“[Os membros do comitê] they look at what is happening in the world, what the global trends are, the main concerns and the most promising processes,” he said in an interview with Reuters news agency. “These processes could mean anything from a specific peace effort to new types of international agreements being developed or recently adopted.”
WHO CAN SUBMIT NAMES TO THE COMMITTEE?
Thousands of people around the world have the right to nominate candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize. Among them are members of governments and parliaments, acting heads of state, university professors in areas such as history, social sciences, law and philosophy, as well as previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize and representatives of institutes specializing in research on peace and international relations.
This year, the committee received 338 nominations. The names of the candidates remain strictly confidential, and the official list is kept in a safe for 50 years, in accordance with the rules of the Nobel Foundation.
HOW DOES THE COMMITTEE CHOOSE THE WINNER?
Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize close on January 31. Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee may still submit their own suggestions in February.
From there, the committee reviews all nominations and selects a list of finalists. Each name is then evaluated by a group of permanent consultants and external experts, who prepare detailed opinions on each person’s contributions.
The committee meets about once a month to discuss nominations. The final decision is usually made in August or September, according to Kristian Harpviken, the committee’s secretary. The choice is reviewed at the beginning of October and announced in the middle of the month.
The objective is to reach a consensus, but when this is not possible, the choice is made by majority vote. The last resignation of a member in protest occurred in 1994, when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat received the award alongside Israelis Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.
WHO WAS NOMINATED?
The full list of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize has been kept secret for 50 years, but people who can make nominations are free to publicize their suggestions. However, there is no way to verify whether the names were actually sent to the committee.
Among the names of people and institutions made public this year are the International Criminal Court, which investigates and tries individuals for crimes against humanity and genocide; NATO, the US-led Western military alliance; Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung, currently in prison; and Canadian human rights lawyer Irwin Cotler.
Some leaders, such as Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan, claimed to have nominated Donald Trump. However, nominations would have been made after the official January 31 deadline, making them invalid for the 2025 award.
It is not known whether someone else made the suggestion within the deadline.
DOES TRUMP HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING THE NOBEL FOR PEACE?
According to Nobel Prize experts mentioned by Reuters, Trump’s chances of winning are slim. They argue that the current US president has been dismantling the international order based on cooperation and multilateralism, values that the Nobel committee seeks to promote.
Instead of rewarding a political leader, the committee may choose to recognize a humanitarian organization, media professionals or United Nations institutions, groups that symbolize collective efforts for peace and human rights.
Last year, the award was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese group formed by survivors of the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The topic of nuclear weapons has been a constant concern for the committee.
Three American presidents received the Nobel Peace Prize while still in office: Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), in 1906, Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921), in 1919, and Barack Obama (2009-2017), in 2009. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) was awarded later, in 2002.
WHAT DOES THE LAUREATE RECEIVE?
The winner receives a gold medal, an official diploma and a cash prize of 11 million Swedish kronor, the equivalent of around R$6.3 million. Furthermore, recognition brings immediate international projection.
WHEN WILL THE CEREMONY BE ANNOUNCED?
The winner will be announced this Friday (10) at 6am (Brasília time) at the Norwegian Nobel Institute, in Oslo. The announcement will be led by the president of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Joergen Watne Frydnes.
The official award ceremony will take place on December 10, at Oslo City Hall, the date that marks the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, creator of the prize.
