The Internet has been named as one of a record 237 nominations for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The Norweigan Nobel Committee met on March 9 to cull the initial thousands of nominations down to a more manageable list; the final number is still significantly ahead of last year’s previous record shortlist of 205.
Quite who would receive the award should the Internet triumph remains unclear at this point, though Tim Berners-Lee, the “founder” of the ‘Net may well be in the running. The peace prize is historically awarded to “the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses.” Interest in the prize has surged since the notable triumph of Barack Obama in 2009.
The shortlist for 2010 includes 38 organisations or groups and 199 individuals; others nominated include a Russian human rights group and a Chinese dissident. Although the panel does not disclose the nominees, the nominators (who include other Laureates, professors, government officials and the panel themselves) sometimes reveal their choices.
The chosen recipient will be revealed in October, with the prize formally awarded in December.
Discover more about the Nobel Prize on Intute, and take a look at our hot topic features covering the history and awards.
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