Absolutely excellent, says Peter Wallensteen, professor emeritus at Uppsala University's Department of Peace and Conflict Research, about praising Nihon Hidankyo, which fights for a world free from nuclear weapons.
That they in this way remind us of the dangers of nuclear weapons in a time when political leaders seem to view nuclear weapons as a useful weapon.
Wallensteen sees this year's award as part of the Nobel Committee's tradition of "constantly and consistently" highlighting the nuclear weapons issue so that it is not forgotten.
A tradition that is fulfilled here by awarding it to organizations and leaders who understand the importance of nuclear disarmament and control.
Important Testimonies
Nihon Hidankyo consists of survivors from the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Karin Wall Härdfeldt, Secretary-General of the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, says that this year's peace prize is quite unexpected, but at the same time much needed and extremely urgent.
In these times, when the nuclear threat is greater than in decades, this is a reminder that these are weapons of mass destruction with unimaginable consequences for humans.
According to Karin Wall Härdfeldt, politicians often talk about nuclear weapons from a theoretical and strategic defense perspective, where the humanitarian consequences are "in principle erased".
That's why these testimonies from the survivors are incredibly important.
"In the Spirit of Nobel"
Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs, Research Director at the Folke Bernadotte Academy, thinks that this year's prize clearly goes in the spirit of Nobel, where the focus is on reducing the spread of weapons in general.
This becomes a commentary on the militarization and organization we see of the threat of using nuclear weapons in the major conflicts that are ongoing, in Ukraine and the Middle East, she says.
This year's prize can be seen as a statement against leading states in that area:
"Here you see what happened and the effects it has on humans when you use this type of weapon", says Söderberg Kovacs.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (The Moderate Party) welcomes the announcement of this year's laureate.
We see with great concern how countries like Russia and Iran are leaving important agreements on disarmament and control. But in the long run, we must continue to work for a nuclear-free world, she says to SVT News.
