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Nobel Peace Prize Essay By: Lane Welborn

The Nobel Peace Prize organization was started according to Alfred Nobel’s living will stating that pieces of his lifetime savings will be handed out to people for special purposes. This foundation provides an award to either an individual or an organization whose goal of achievement is in the fields of physics, literature, chemistry and medicine or physiology(About the Nobel Prizes). The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in 1901 (Nobel Peace Prize Winners). To become a nominee you must be recommended by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. There are five members on this committee. The award is administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. No one is allowed to nominate themselves, either. This prize consists of a personal diploma, a medal, recognition and one million dollars (Nomination and Selection of Peace Prize Laureates). You also don’t have to accept the award. People have actually declined the honor. Did you know that only 40 women have won the Nobel Peace Prize? And some people have even been in prison at the time that they were recognized as a nominee (Nobel Peace Prize Winners). I chose Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov. He was born in Moscow, Russia on May 21, 1921 and died on December 14, 1989. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 because of his acts in the Human Rights field. Before he won the award Sakharov was invited to join a research team of scientists that worked to develop nuclear weapons for the USSR in 1948. He worked under extreme surveillance for the nest twenty years pursuing this occupation. Then the ‘70s came and Sakharov became more and more influenced with culture and the way of life for people. He then started to get more involved in the Human Rights field. He worked in the defense of victims who were called out because of political trials. In 1976 he ran with two of his fellow accommodates in the Committee for Human Rights and made his position in the world quite clear. He wanted justice for all. After he received his award he remained fighting for human rights. In 1980 he was exiled to Gorky and was later joined by Elena Boomer in 1984 also under exile. They were freed and allowed back into the country in 1986. He was an enabled member and a political role with the Congress of the People’s Deputies (Andrei Sakharov - Autobiography). Andrei has worked on many writings and articles after his approach to Human Rights. His Nobel Peace Prize speech started off as, "Peace, progress and Human Rights". Three goals that Andrei strived to achieve (Peace, progress and Human Rights). I think Andrei Sakharov is someone to be looked up to and admired because of his perseverance in doing something good for the rest of the world. Trying to make a positive change is a hard thing to do especially if you're talking about a world wide change. He influenced me just by reading about his life story and motivations that made him want to be a Human Rights leader. I know this because in his autobiography it states that when he was a child he would sit with his grandmother, Maria Petrovna and listen to her tell bible stories and lectures about the good things in life. Andrei emphasizes his feelings and gratitude to his grandmother greatly. She taught herself fluent English when she was fifty years old all on her own and this inspired Andrei to a major degree (Andrei Sakharov - Autobiography). In his speech, he recognizes what a great spirit his grandmother was and how he hopes to be as happy as she was all the time (Peace, progress and Human Rights). I congratulate Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov for his effort in trying to make the world a better, peaceful place.

Works Cited

"About the Nobel Prizes." //Nobelprize.org//. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. [].

"Andrei Sakharov - Autobiography." //Nobelprize.org//. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. [].

"Nobel Peace Prize Winners - the Full List | World News | Guardian.co.uk." //Latest US and World News, Sport and Comment from the Guardian | Guardiannews.com | The Guardian//. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. [].

"Nomination and Selection of Peace Prize Laureates." //Nobelprize.org//. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. [].

"Peace, progress and Human Rights." //Nobelprize.org// Thurs. 16 Feb. 2012. []