Nobel Foundation Rescinds Invitation to Russia, Iran, and Belarus

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【Summary】The Nobel Foundation has withdrawn its invitation for representatives of Russia, Belarus, and Iran to attend the Nobel Prize award ceremonies after facing backlash. Swedish lawmakers boycotted the ceremonies due to concerns over Russia's war on Ukraine and human rights violations in Iran. The Belarusian opposition leader welcomed the decision, while the Swedish Prime Minister supported it.

FutureCar Staff Sep 02, 2023 10:01 AM PT

Nobel Foundation Rescinds Invitation to Russia, Iran, and Belarus

The Nobel Foundation has withdrawn its invitation for representatives of Russia, Belarus, and Iran to attend this year's Nobel Prize award ceremonies. The decision came after the initial invitation provoked strong reactions. Several Swedish lawmakers have announced that they will boycott the ceremonies in Stockholm in response to the change in position from the private foundation. The foundation stated that inviting representatives from these countries promotes opportunities to convey the important messages of the Nobel Prize to everyone.

Some lawmakers cited Russia's war on Ukraine and the crackdown on human rights in Iran as reasons for their boycott. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a Belarusian opposition figure, called on the Swedish Nobel Foundation and the Norwegian Nobel Committee not to invite representatives of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's illegitimate regime to any events. Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the Nobel Foundation's decision, seeing it as a clear sign of solidarity with the Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who expressed that he would not have allowed the three countries to participate in the award ceremonies, also praised the decision. He stated on social media platform X that the strong reactions from Sweden demonstrate their support for Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression.

The foundation acknowledged the overwhelming reactions in Sweden and announced that it would not invite the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus, and Iran to the award ceremony in Stockholm. However, it will continue its usual practice of inviting all ambassadors to the ceremony in Oslo, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded.

The announcement received widespread praise in Sweden, including from politicians and the Swedish Royal House. The spokesperson for the Royal House stated that they see the change in decision as positive and that King Carl XVI Gustaf plans to hand out this year's Nobel awards at ceremonies in Stockholm as before.

The Nobel prize winners for this year will be announced in early October, and the laureates will be invited to receive their awards at glittering prize ceremonies on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.