Nobel Peace Prize 2015: Likely contenders

By Susannah Cullinane, Greg Botelho and Don Melvin, CNN
Updated 0217 GMT (0917 HKT) October 8, 2015
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. displays his Nobel Peace Prize medal in December 1964 in Oslo, Norway. Then 35, King was the youngest man to have received the prize. The U.S. civil rights leader was slain in 1968.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. displays his Nobel Peace Prize medal in December 1964 in Oslo, Norway. Then 35, King was the youngest man to have received the prize. The U.S. civil rights leader was slain in 1968.
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A group of Red Cross rescue workers hold a capsule used to supply food and beverages to three trapped miners at an iron ore mine near Lengede, Germany, on October 28, 1963. The League of Red Cross Societies won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
A group of Red Cross rescue workers hold a capsule used to supply food and beverages to three trapped miners at an iron ore mine near Lengede, Germany, on October 28, 1963. The League of Red Cross Societies won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.
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American chemist Linus Pauling won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his campaigning for a nuclear test ban treaty. Pauling also won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
American chemist Linus Pauling won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his campaigning for a nuclear test ban treaty. Pauling also won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954.
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Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish politician and the second U.N. secretary general, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish politician and the second U.N. secretary general, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961.
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King Olav V of Norway, left, shakes hands with Albert Lutuli, president-general of the African National Congress, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 in Oslo.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
King Olav V of Norway, left, shakes hands with Albert Lutuli, president-general of the African National Congress, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 in Oslo.
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British politician Philip Noel-Baker was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
British politician Philip Noel-Baker was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959.
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Georges Pire, right, receives the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his efforts to help European refugees leave their camps and return to a life of freedom and dignity.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Georges Pire, right, receives the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his efforts to help European refugees leave their camps and return to a life of freedom and dignity.
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Canadian politician Lester Bowles Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his active role in attempting to prevent war.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Canadian politician Lester Bowles Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his active role in attempting to prevent war.
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North Korean refugees cross the Naktong River in South Korea on August 6, 1950, just a short time before the beginning of the conflict between North and South Korea. The U.N. forces in Korea had set a time limit of 15 hours for crossing the river. In 1954, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the UNHCR, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
North Korean refugees cross the Naktong River in South Korea on August 6, 1950, just a short time before the beginning of the conflict between North and South Korea. The U.N. forces in Korea had set a time limit of 15 hours for crossing the river. In 1954, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the UNHCR, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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Gen. George Catlett Marshall of the U.S. Army won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Gen. George Catlett Marshall of the U.S. Army won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
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Dr. Albert Schweitzer -- a physician, philosopher and theologian -- won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Dr. Albert Schweitzer -- a physician, philosopher and theologian -- won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.
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Leon Jouhaux, a French union activist, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1951.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Leon Jouhaux, a French union activist, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1951.
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Ralph Bunche won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his "unremitting campaign to develop man's ability to live in peace, harmony and mutual understanding with his fellows," according to the Nobel Committee.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Ralph Bunche won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his "unremitting campaign to develop man's ability to live in peace, harmony and mutual understanding with his fellows," according to the Nobel Committee.
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Lord John Boyd Orr, a British nutritionist and health campaigner, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Lord John Boyd Orr, a British nutritionist and health campaigner, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949.
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A family begins to assimilate in a new community on August 4, 1941, after being rehabilitated by the American Quakers and the Unitarian service committee, after fleeing with thousands of others from war-torn Lorraine, France, to begin a new life. The Friends Service Council (The Quakers) and the American Friends Service Committee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
A family begins to assimilate in a new community on August 4, 1941, after being rehabilitated by the American Quakers and the Unitarian service committee, after fleeing with thousands of others from war-torn Lorraine, France, to begin a new life. The Friends Service Council (The Quakers) and the American Friends Service Committee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.
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John Raleigh Mott, left, and Emily Greene Balch won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. Mott won for his contributions to the creation of a peace-promoting religious brotherhood across national boundaries. Balch won for unrelenting efforts to fight for peace.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
John Raleigh Mott, left, and Emily Greene Balch won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. Mott won for his contributions to the creation of a peace-promoting religious brotherhood across national boundaries. Balch won for unrelenting efforts to fight for peace.
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U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945.
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U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945.
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American Red Cross workers check packages for troops fighting in Leyte, Philippines, on November 20,1944. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1944.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
American Red Cross workers check packages for troops fighting in Leyte, Philippines, on November 20,1944. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1944.
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The Nansen International Office for Refugees won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1938.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Nansen International Office for Refugees won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1938.
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Viscount Cecil of Chelwood won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1937 for promoting peace at a time of war.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Viscount Cecil of Chelwood won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1937 for promoting peace at a time of war.
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Carlos Saavedra Lamas won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1936 for his personal contribution to the cause of peace in Latin America.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Carlos Saavedra Lamas won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1936 for his personal contribution to the cause of peace in Latin America.
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Carl Von Ossietzky, seen here in a concentration camp uniform, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1935.
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Carl Von Ossietzky, seen here in a concentration camp uniform, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1935.
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Arthur Henderson, Britain's foreign secretary, arrives at 10 Downing Street in London on August 17, 1931. Henderson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934.
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Arthur Henderson, Britain's foreign secretary, arrives at 10 Downing Street in London on August 17, 1931. Henderson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934.
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Sir Norman Angell won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933 for promoting international peace.
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Sir Norman Angell won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933 for promoting international peace.
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Swedish Bishop Nathan Söderblom won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. Söderblom was the first clergyman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Swedish Bishop Nathan Söderblom won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. Söderblom was the first clergyman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Frank Billings Kellogg, an American diplomat, speaks after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in a ceremony at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway. The award commemorates his origination of the Kellogg Peace Pact, which was signed by European nations and the United States in Paris. Kellogg won the Peace Prize in 1929.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Frank Billings Kellogg, an American diplomat, speaks after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in a ceremony at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway. The award commemorates his origination of the Kellogg Peace Pact, which was signed by European nations and the United States in Paris. Kellogg won the Peace Prize in 1929.
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French educator Ferdinand Buisson was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1927 with Ludwig Quidde, right, who founded the League for Human Rights.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
French educator Ferdinand Buisson was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1927 with Ludwig Quidde, right, who founded the League for Human Rights.
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German politician and industrialist Gustav Stresemann, left, and French politician Aristide Briand received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926.
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German politician and industrialist Gustav Stresemann, left, and French politician Aristide Briand received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926.
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British statesman and Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain, left, and American statesman and financier Charles Gates Dawes won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925.
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British statesman and Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain, left, and American statesman and financier Charles Gates Dawes won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925.
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Norwegian Arctic explorer and statesman Fridtjof Nansen won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
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Norwegian Arctic explorer and statesman Fridtjof Nansen won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
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Christian Lous Lange, left, and Karl Hjalmar Branting won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921 for promoting global peace.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Christian Lous Lange, left, and Karl Hjalmar Branting won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921 for promoting global peace.
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French socialist statesman Leon Victor Auguste Bourgeois, founder of the League of Nations, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.
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French socialist statesman Leon Victor Auguste Bourgeois, founder of the League of Nations, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.
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President Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
President Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919.
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Belgian diplomat Henri La Fontaine, who served as president of the Permanent International Peace Bureau, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1913.
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Belgian diplomat Henri La Fontaine, who served as president of the Permanent International Peace Bureau, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1913.
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American jurist and statesman Elihu Root, who served as U.S. Secretary of War from 1899-1904, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his promotion of international arbitration.
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American jurist and statesman Elihu Root, who served as U.S. Secretary of War from 1899-1904, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his promotion of international arbitration.
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Tobias Michael Carel Asser, left, and Alfred Hermann Fried won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1911 for their efforts in promoting peace among nations.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Tobias Michael Carel Asser, left, and Alfred Hermann Fried won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1911 for their efforts in promoting peace among nations.
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The International Peace Bureau won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910.
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The International Peace Bureau won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910.
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French diplomat Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d'Estournelles de Constant, Baron de Constant de Rebecque, left, and Belgian Prime Minister Auguste Marie Francois Beernaert won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1909.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
French diplomat Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d'Estournelles de Constant, Baron de Constant de Rebecque, left, and Belgian Prime Minister Auguste Marie Francois Beernaert won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1909.
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Danish writer and politician Fredrik Bajer, left, and Swedish author and politician Klas Pontus Arnoldson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1908.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Danish writer and politician Fredrik Bajer, left, and Swedish author and politician Klas Pontus Arnoldson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1908.
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The Nobel Peace Prize in 1907 was awarded jointly to Italian journalist Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, left, and French industrialist Louis Renault.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Nobel Peace Prize in 1907 was awarded jointly to Italian journalist Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, left, and French industrialist Louis Renault.
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The Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 was awarded to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
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The Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 was awarded to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
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Austrian author Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner became the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Austrian author Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner became the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905.
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Members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, all wearing masks to protect against the further spread of the influenza epidemic, carry a patient on a stretcher into an ambulance in St. Louis in October 1918. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, all wearing masks to protect against the further spread of the influenza epidemic, carry a patient on a stretcher into an ambulance in St. Louis in October 1918. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917.
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The Institute of International Law won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1904 for promoting peace around the world.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Institute of International Law won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1904 for promoting peace around the world.
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English politician, pacifist and trade unionist Sir William Randal Cremer won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1903.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
English politician, pacifist and trade unionist Sir William Randal Cremer won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1903.
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Swiss activist Elie Ducommun and Swiss lawyer Charles Albert Gobat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Swiss activist Elie Ducommun and Swiss lawyer Charles Albert Gobat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902.
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The first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 was awarded jointly to Swiss activist Jean Henry Dunant, left, and French economist Frederic Passy.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 was awarded jointly to Swiss activist Jean Henry Dunant, left, and French economist Frederic Passy.
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The late Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel left the bulk of his fortune to create the <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/" target="_blank">Nobel Prizes</a> to honor work in five areas, including peace. In his 1895 will, he said one part was dedicated to that person "who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly in 1901 to Jean Henry Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and French peace activist and economist Frédéric Passy.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The late Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel left the bulk of his fortune to create the Nobel Prizes to honor work in five areas, including peace. In his 1895 will, he said one part was dedicated to that person "who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly in 1901 to Jean Henry Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and French peace activist and economist Frédéric Passy.
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Malala Yousafzai split the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi for their struggles against the suppression of children and for young people's rights. Yousafzai came to global attention after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for her efforts to promote education for girls in Pakistan.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Malala Yousafzai split the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi for their struggles against the suppression of children and for young people's rights. Yousafzai came to global attention after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for her efforts to promote education for girls in Pakistan.
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Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the <a href="http://www.opcw.org/" target="_blank">Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons</a>, speaks after his chemical watchdog group was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. The Hague, Netherlands-based organization received the prize for helping to eliminate the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/world/europe/norway-nobel-peace-prize-opcw-syria/index.html">Syrian army's stockpiles of poison gas</a> as well as for its longtime efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, speaks after his chemical watchdog group was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. The Hague, Netherlands-based organization received the prize for helping to eliminate the Syrian army's stockpiles of poison gas as well as for its longtime efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
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The European Union won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The European Union won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
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Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, from left, Tawakkol Karman of Yemen and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, from left, Tawakkol Karman of Yemen and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
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Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
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U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
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Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
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Former Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
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Muhammed Yunus and Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Muhammed Yunus and Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
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Mohamed ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Mohamed ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
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Wangari Muta Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, Kenya, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Wangari Muta Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, Kenya, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
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Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.
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Former President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
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Former United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan, center, with French Forces commander Gen. Alain Pellegrini, right, review UNIFIL soldiers upon Annan's arrival to the U.N. peacekeeping base in the southern Lebanese town of Naqura, on August 29, 2006. Annan and the United Nations won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan, center, with French Forces commander Gen. Alain Pellegrini, right, review UNIFIL soldiers upon Annan's arrival to the U.N. peacekeeping base in the southern Lebanese town of Naqura, on August 29, 2006. Annan and the United Nations won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
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Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.
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A flag bearing the logo of Medecins sans Frontieres (also known as Doctors Without Borders) stands in the middle of a makeshift clinic at Kenya's Dadaab refuge on October 16, 2011. Medicins sans Frontieres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
A flag bearing the logo of Medecins sans Frontieres (also known as Doctors Without Borders) stands in the middle of a makeshift clinic at Kenya's Dadaab refuge on October 16, 2011. Medicins sans Frontieres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
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David Trimble, left, and John Hume hold up their diplomas and medals after receiving their Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1998. Trimble and Hume won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
David Trimble, left, and John Hume hold up their diplomas and medals after receiving their Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1998. Trimble and Hume won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998.
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Jody Williams sits in front of donated shoes symbolizing landmine victims during Ban Landmines Week on March 8, 2001, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Jody Williams sits in front of donated shoes symbolizing landmine victims during Ban Landmines Week on March 8, 2001, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
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Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, left, and Jose Ramos-Horta shake hands at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo on December 9,1996, prior to the awarding ceremony. Belo and Ramos-Horta won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, left, and Jose Ramos-Horta shake hands at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo on December 9,1996, prior to the awarding ceremony. Belo and Ramos-Horta won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
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Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.
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Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat, from left, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin hold up their awards after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
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Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat, from left, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin hold up their awards after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
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South African National Congress President Nelson Mandela, left, and South African President F.W. de Klerk shake hands in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1993, after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
South African National Congress President Nelson Mandela, left, and South African President F.W. de Klerk shake hands in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1993, after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Rigoberta Menchu campaigns in the Alameda neighborhood of Guatemala City, Guatemala, on November 4, 2011. Menchu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Rigoberta Menchu campaigns in the Alameda neighborhood of Guatemala City, Guatemala, on November 4, 2011. Menchu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.
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Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.
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Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.
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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
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U.N. soldiers unload their gear from a C-130 cargo plane as the U.N. observer team policing the Iran-Iraq ceasefire arrives in Baghdad. The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
U.N. soldiers unload their gear from a C-130 cargo plane as the U.N. observer team policing the Iran-Iraq ceasefire arrives in Baghdad. The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
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Costa Rican President-elect Oscar Arias waves to supporters after receiving the ceremonial sash at the National Stadium in San Jose on May 8, 2006. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
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Costa Rican President-elect Oscar Arias waves to supporters after receiving the ceremonial sash at the National Stadium in San Jose on May 8, 2006. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
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Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel appears at a press conference at the United Nations on October 27, 2004 in New York. Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel appears at a press conference at the United Nations on October 27, 2004 in New York. Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
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Members of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War clasp hands on October 11, 1985, at the group's Boston headquarters after the organization was awarded the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. The doctors are, from left, Eric Chivian, co-founder; John Pastore, secretary; Sidney Alexander, president of the U.S. affiliate group; and James Muller, co founder.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Members of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War clasp hands on October 11, 1985, at the group's Boston headquarters after the organization was awarded the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. The doctors are, from left, Eric Chivian, co-founder; John Pastore, secretary; Sidney Alexander, president of the U.S. affiliate group; and James Muller, co founder.
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
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Former Polish President Lech Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former Polish President Lech Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
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Alva Myrdal, right, and Alfonso Garcia Robles won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982, having played a central role in the United Nations' disarmament negotiations.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Alva Myrdal, right, and Alfonso Garcia Robles won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982, having played a central role in the United Nations' disarmament negotiations.
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Refugees are registered in Somalia in November 1981. The Nobel Peace Prize that year was awarded to the United Nations' refugee agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Refugees are registered in Somalia in November 1981. The Nobel Peace Prize that year was awarded to the United Nations' refugee agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who has devoted his life to the struggle for human rights, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.
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Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who has devoted his life to the struggle for human rights, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.
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Mother Teresa, founder of the Missionaries of Charity order, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
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Mother Teresa, founder of the Missionaries of Charity order, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
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President Jimmy Carter, center, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin join hands after signing the Camp David Accords. Sadat and Begin won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
President Jimmy Carter, center, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin join hands after signing the Camp David Accords. Sadat and Begin won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.
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Amnesty International won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
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Amnesty International won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
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Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, co-founders of the Community for Peace People, share a joke while leading a peace rally of Catholic and Protestant woman in the Protestant Shankill Road, in Belfast, on August 28, 1976. Williams and Corrigan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, co-founders of the Community for Peace People, share a joke while leading a peace rally of Catholic and Protestant woman in the Protestant Shankill Road, in Belfast, on August 28, 1976. Williams and Corrigan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976.
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Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
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Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
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Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, left, and Irish official Sean MacBride shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, left, and Irish official Sean MacBride shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974.
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Hanoi's delegate Le Duc Tho cheers to the crowd while leaving the International Conference Center in Paris on January 23, 1973, after meeting with presidential adviser Henry Kissinger, center. Le Duc Tho and Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Hanoi's delegate Le Duc Tho cheers to the crowd while leaving the International Conference Center in Paris on January 23, 1973, after meeting with presidential adviser Henry Kissinger, center. Le Duc Tho and Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.
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German Chancellor Willy Brandt poses after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize n Oslo on December 10, 1971.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
German Chancellor Willy Brandt poses after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize n Oslo on December 10, 1971.
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Dr. Norman Borlaug holds up stalks of his specifically crossbred wheat, designed to be more disease-resistant. Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Dr. Norman Borlaug holds up stalks of his specifically crossbred wheat, designed to be more disease-resistant. Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
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The International Labour Organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. David Morse was the director general of the organization from 1948-70.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The International Labour Organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. David Morse was the director general of the organization from 1948-70.
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Rene Cassin, the French jurist and a deputy chairman of the NATO committee for human rights, holds up a telegram after being notified of winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Rene Cassin, the French jurist and a deputy chairman of the NATO committee for human rights, holds up a telegram after being notified of winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968.
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Children drink milk handed out by UNICEF workers in Moundou, Chad, on October 26, 1965. UNICEF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Children drink milk handed out by UNICEF workers in Moundou, Chad, on October 26, 1965. UNICEF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.
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The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. displays his Nobel Peace Prize medal in December 1964 in Oslo, Norway. Then 35, King was the youngest man to have received the prize. The U.S. civil rights leader was slain in 1968.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. displays his Nobel Peace Prize medal in December 1964 in Oslo, Norway. Then 35, King was the youngest man to have received the prize. The U.S. civil rights leader was slain in 1968.
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A group of Red Cross rescue workers hold a capsule used to supply food and beverages to three trapped miners at an iron ore mine near Lengede, Germany, on October 28, 1963. The League of Red Cross Societies won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
A group of Red Cross rescue workers hold a capsule used to supply food and beverages to three trapped miners at an iron ore mine near Lengede, Germany, on October 28, 1963. The League of Red Cross Societies won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.
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American chemist Linus Pauling won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his campaigning for a nuclear test ban treaty. Pauling also won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
American chemist Linus Pauling won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his campaigning for a nuclear test ban treaty. Pauling also won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954.
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Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish politician and the second U.N. secretary general, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish politician and the second U.N. secretary general, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961.
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King Olav V of Norway, left, shakes hands with Albert Lutuli, president-general of the African National Congress, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 in Oslo.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
King Olav V of Norway, left, shakes hands with Albert Lutuli, president-general of the African National Congress, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 in Oslo.
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British politician Philip Noel-Baker was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
British politician Philip Noel-Baker was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959.
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Georges Pire, right, receives the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his efforts to help European refugees leave their camps and return to a life of freedom and dignity.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Georges Pire, right, receives the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his efforts to help European refugees leave their camps and return to a life of freedom and dignity.
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Canadian politician Lester Bowles Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his active role in attempting to prevent war.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Canadian politician Lester Bowles Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his active role in attempting to prevent war.
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North Korean refugees cross the Naktong River in South Korea on August 6, 1950, just a short time before the beginning of the conflict between North and South Korea. The U.N. forces in Korea had set a time limit of 15 hours for crossing the river. In 1954, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the UNHCR, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
North Korean refugees cross the Naktong River in South Korea on August 6, 1950, just a short time before the beginning of the conflict between North and South Korea. The U.N. forces in Korea had set a time limit of 15 hours for crossing the river. In 1954, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the UNHCR, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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Gen. George Catlett Marshall of the U.S. Army won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Gen. George Catlett Marshall of the U.S. Army won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
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Dr. Albert Schweitzer -- a physician, philosopher and theologian -- won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Dr. Albert Schweitzer -- a physician, philosopher and theologian -- won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.
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Leon Jouhaux, a French union activist, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1951.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Leon Jouhaux, a French union activist, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1951.
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Ralph Bunche won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his "unremitting campaign to develop man's ability to live in peace, harmony and mutual understanding with his fellows," according to the Nobel Committee.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Ralph Bunche won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his "unremitting campaign to develop man's ability to live in peace, harmony and mutual understanding with his fellows," according to the Nobel Committee.
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Lord John Boyd Orr, a British nutritionist and health campaigner, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Lord John Boyd Orr, a British nutritionist and health campaigner, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949.
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A family begins to assimilate in a new community on August 4, 1941, after being rehabilitated by the American Quakers and the Unitarian service committee, after fleeing with thousands of others from war-torn Lorraine, France, to begin a new life. The Friends Service Council (The Quakers) and the American Friends Service Committee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
A family begins to assimilate in a new community on August 4, 1941, after being rehabilitated by the American Quakers and the Unitarian service committee, after fleeing with thousands of others from war-torn Lorraine, France, to begin a new life. The Friends Service Council (The Quakers) and the American Friends Service Committee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.
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John Raleigh Mott, left, and Emily Greene Balch won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. Mott won for his contributions to the creation of a peace-promoting religious brotherhood across national boundaries. Balch won for unrelenting efforts to fight for peace.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
John Raleigh Mott, left, and Emily Greene Balch won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. Mott won for his contributions to the creation of a peace-promoting religious brotherhood across national boundaries. Balch won for unrelenting efforts to fight for peace.
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U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945.
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American Red Cross workers check packages for troops fighting in Leyte, Philippines, on November 20,1944. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1944.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
American Red Cross workers check packages for troops fighting in Leyte, Philippines, on November 20,1944. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1944.
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The Nansen International Office for Refugees won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1938.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Nansen International Office for Refugees won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1938.
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Viscount Cecil of Chelwood won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1937 for promoting peace at a time of war.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Viscount Cecil of Chelwood won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1937 for promoting peace at a time of war.
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Carlos Saavedra Lamas won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1936 for his personal contribution to the cause of peace in Latin America.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Carlos Saavedra Lamas won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1936 for his personal contribution to the cause of peace in Latin America.
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Carl Von Ossietzky, seen here in a concentration camp uniform, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1935.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Carl Von Ossietzky, seen here in a concentration camp uniform, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1935.
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Arthur Henderson, Britain's foreign secretary, arrives at 10 Downing Street in London on August 17, 1931. Henderson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Arthur Henderson, Britain's foreign secretary, arrives at 10 Downing Street in London on August 17, 1931. Henderson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934.
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Sir Norman Angell won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933 for promoting international peace.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Sir Norman Angell won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933 for promoting international peace.
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Swedish Bishop Nathan Söderblom won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. Söderblom was the first clergyman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Swedish Bishop Nathan Söderblom won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. Söderblom was the first clergyman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Frank Billings Kellogg, an American diplomat, speaks after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in a ceremony at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway. The award commemorates his origination of the Kellogg Peace Pact, which was signed by European nations and the United States in Paris. Kellogg won the Peace Prize in 1929.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Frank Billings Kellogg, an American diplomat, speaks after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in a ceremony at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway. The award commemorates his origination of the Kellogg Peace Pact, which was signed by European nations and the United States in Paris. Kellogg won the Peace Prize in 1929.
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French educator Ferdinand Buisson was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1927 with Ludwig Quidde, right, who founded the League for Human Rights.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
French educator Ferdinand Buisson was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1927 with Ludwig Quidde, right, who founded the League for Human Rights.
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German politician and industrialist Gustav Stresemann, left, and French politician Aristide Briand received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
German politician and industrialist Gustav Stresemann, left, and French politician Aristide Briand received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926.
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British statesman and Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain, left, and American statesman and financier Charles Gates Dawes won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
British statesman and Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain, left, and American statesman and financier Charles Gates Dawes won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925.
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Norwegian Arctic explorer and statesman Fridtjof Nansen won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Norwegian Arctic explorer and statesman Fridtjof Nansen won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
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Christian Lous Lange, left, and Karl Hjalmar Branting won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921 for promoting global peace.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Christian Lous Lange, left, and Karl Hjalmar Branting won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921 for promoting global peace.
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French socialist statesman Leon Victor Auguste Bourgeois, founder of the League of Nations, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
French socialist statesman Leon Victor Auguste Bourgeois, founder of the League of Nations, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.
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President Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
President Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919.
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Belgian diplomat Henri La Fontaine, who served as president of the Permanent International Peace Bureau, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1913.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Belgian diplomat Henri La Fontaine, who served as president of the Permanent International Peace Bureau, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1913.
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American jurist and statesman Elihu Root, who served as U.S. Secretary of War from 1899-1904, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his promotion of international arbitration.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
American jurist and statesman Elihu Root, who served as U.S. Secretary of War from 1899-1904, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his promotion of international arbitration.
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Tobias Michael Carel Asser, left, and Alfred Hermann Fried won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1911 for their efforts in promoting peace among nations.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Tobias Michael Carel Asser, left, and Alfred Hermann Fried won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1911 for their efforts in promoting peace among nations.
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The International Peace Bureau won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The International Peace Bureau won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910.
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French diplomat Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d'Estournelles de Constant, Baron de Constant de Rebecque, left, and Belgian Prime Minister Auguste Marie Francois Beernaert won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1909.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
French diplomat Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d'Estournelles de Constant, Baron de Constant de Rebecque, left, and Belgian Prime Minister Auguste Marie Francois Beernaert won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1909.
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Danish writer and politician Fredrik Bajer, left, and Swedish author and politician Klas Pontus Arnoldson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1908.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Danish writer and politician Fredrik Bajer, left, and Swedish author and politician Klas Pontus Arnoldson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1908.
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The Nobel Peace Prize in 1907 was awarded jointly to Italian journalist Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, left, and French industrialist Louis Renault.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Nobel Peace Prize in 1907 was awarded jointly to Italian journalist Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, left, and French industrialist Louis Renault.
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The Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 was awarded to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 was awarded to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
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Austrian author Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner became the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Austrian author Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner became the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905.
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Members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, all wearing masks to protect against the further spread of the influenza epidemic, carry a patient on a stretcher into an ambulance in St. Louis in October 1918. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, all wearing masks to protect against the further spread of the influenza epidemic, carry a patient on a stretcher into an ambulance in St. Louis in October 1918. The International Committee of the Red Cross won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917.
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The Institute of International Law won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1904 for promoting peace around the world.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The Institute of International Law won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1904 for promoting peace around the world.
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English politician, pacifist and trade unionist Sir William Randal Cremer won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1903.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
English politician, pacifist and trade unionist Sir William Randal Cremer won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1903.
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Swiss activist Elie Ducommun and Swiss lawyer Charles Albert Gobat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Swiss activist Elie Ducommun and Swiss lawyer Charles Albert Gobat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902.
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The first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 was awarded jointly to Swiss activist Jean Henry Dunant, left, and French economist Frederic Passy.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 was awarded jointly to Swiss activist Jean Henry Dunant, left, and French economist Frederic Passy.
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The late Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel left the bulk of his fortune to create the <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/" target="_blank">Nobel Prizes</a> to honor work in five areas, including peace. In his 1895 will, he said one part was dedicated to that person "who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly in 1901 to Jean Henry Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and French peace activist and economist Frédéric Passy.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The late Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel left the bulk of his fortune to create the Nobel Prizes to honor work in five areas, including peace. In his 1895 will, he said one part was dedicated to that person "who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly in 1901 to Jean Henry Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and French peace activist and economist Frédéric Passy.
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Malala Yousafzai split the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi for their struggles against the suppression of children and for young people's rights. Yousafzai came to global attention after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for her efforts to promote education for girls in Pakistan.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Malala Yousafzai split the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi for their struggles against the suppression of children and for young people's rights. Yousafzai came to global attention after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for her efforts to promote education for girls in Pakistan.
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Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the <a href="http://www.opcw.org/" target="_blank">Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons</a>, speaks after his chemical watchdog group was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. The Hague, Netherlands-based organization received the prize for helping to eliminate the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/world/europe/norway-nobel-peace-prize-opcw-syria/index.html">Syrian army's stockpiles of poison gas</a> as well as for its longtime efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, speaks after his chemical watchdog group was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. The Hague, Netherlands-based organization received the prize for helping to eliminate the Syrian army's stockpiles of poison gas as well as for its longtime efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
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The European Union won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The European Union won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
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Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, from left, Tawakkol Karman of Yemen and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, from left, Tawakkol Karman of Yemen and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
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Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
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U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
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Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
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Former Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
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Muhammed Yunus and Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Muhammed Yunus and Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
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Mohamed ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Mohamed ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
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Wangari Muta Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, Kenya, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Wangari Muta Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, Kenya, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
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Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.
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Former President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
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Former United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan, center, with French Forces commander Gen. Alain Pellegrini, right, review UNIFIL soldiers upon Annan's arrival to the U.N. peacekeeping base in the southern Lebanese town of Naqura, on August 29, 2006. Annan and the United Nations won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan, center, with French Forces commander Gen. Alain Pellegrini, right, review UNIFIL soldiers upon Annan's arrival to the U.N. peacekeeping base in the southern Lebanese town of Naqura, on August 29, 2006. Annan and the United Nations won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
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Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.
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A flag bearing the logo of Medecins sans Frontieres (also known as Doctors Without Borders) stands in the middle of a makeshift clinic at Kenya's Dadaab refuge on October 16, 2011. Medicins sans Frontieres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
A flag bearing the logo of Medecins sans Frontieres (also known as Doctors Without Borders) stands in the middle of a makeshift clinic at Kenya's Dadaab refuge on October 16, 2011. Medicins sans Frontieres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
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David Trimble, left, and John Hume hold up their diplomas and medals after receiving their Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1998. Trimble and Hume won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
David Trimble, left, and John Hume hold up their diplomas and medals after receiving their Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1998. Trimble and Hume won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998.
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Jody Williams sits in front of donated shoes symbolizing landmine victims during Ban Landmines Week on March 8, 2001, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Jody Williams sits in front of donated shoes symbolizing landmine victims during Ban Landmines Week on March 8, 2001, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
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Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, left, and Jose Ramos-Horta shake hands at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo on December 9,1996, prior to the awarding ceremony. Belo and Ramos-Horta won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, left, and Jose Ramos-Horta shake hands at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo on December 9,1996, prior to the awarding ceremony. Belo and Ramos-Horta won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
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Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.
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Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat, from left, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin hold up their awards after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat, from left, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin hold up their awards after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
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South African National Congress President Nelson Mandela, left, and South African President F.W. de Klerk shake hands in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1993, after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
South African National Congress President Nelson Mandela, left, and South African President F.W. de Klerk shake hands in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1993, after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Rigoberta Menchu campaigns in the Alameda neighborhood of Guatemala City, Guatemala, on November 4, 2011. Menchu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Rigoberta Menchu campaigns in the Alameda neighborhood of Guatemala City, Guatemala, on November 4, 2011. Menchu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.
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Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.
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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
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U.N. soldiers unload their gear from a C-130 cargo plane as the U.N. observer team policing the Iran-Iraq ceasefire arrives in Baghdad. The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
U.N. soldiers unload their gear from a C-130 cargo plane as the U.N. observer team policing the Iran-Iraq ceasefire arrives in Baghdad. The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
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Costa Rican President-elect Oscar Arias waves to supporters after receiving the ceremonial sash at the National Stadium in San Jose on May 8, 2006. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Costa Rican President-elect Oscar Arias waves to supporters after receiving the ceremonial sash at the National Stadium in San Jose on May 8, 2006. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
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Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel appears at a press conference at the United Nations on October 27, 2004 in New York. Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel appears at a press conference at the United Nations on October 27, 2004 in New York. Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
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Members of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War clasp hands on October 11, 1985, at the group's Boston headquarters after the organization was awarded the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. The doctors are, from left, Eric Chivian, co-founder; John Pastore, secretary; Sidney Alexander, president of the U.S. affiliate group; and James Muller, co founder.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Members of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War clasp hands on October 11, 1985, at the group's Boston headquarters after the organization was awarded the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. The doctors are, from left, Eric Chivian, co-founder; John Pastore, secretary; Sidney Alexander, president of the U.S. affiliate group; and James Muller, co founder.
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
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Former Polish President Lech Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Former Polish President Lech Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
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Alva Myrdal, right, and Alfonso Garcia Robles won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982, having played a central role in the United Nations' disarmament negotiations.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Alva Myrdal, right, and Alfonso Garcia Robles won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982, having played a central role in the United Nations' disarmament negotiations.
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Refugees are registered in Somalia in November 1981. The Nobel Peace Prize that year was awarded to the United Nations' refugee agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Refugees are registered in Somalia in November 1981. The Nobel Peace Prize that year was awarded to the United Nations' refugee agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who has devoted his life to the struggle for human rights, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who has devoted his life to the struggle for human rights, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.
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Mother Teresa, founder of the Missionaries of Charity order, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Mother Teresa, founder of the Missionaries of Charity order, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
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President Jimmy Carter, center, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin join hands after signing the Camp David Accords. Sadat and Begin won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
President Jimmy Carter, center, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin join hands after signing the Camp David Accords. Sadat and Begin won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.
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Amnesty International won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Amnesty International won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
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Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, co-founders of the Community for Peace People, share a joke while leading a peace rally of Catholic and Protestant woman in the Protestant Shankill Road, in Belfast, on August 28, 1976. Williams and Corrigan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, co-founders of the Community for Peace People, share a joke while leading a peace rally of Catholic and Protestant woman in the Protestant Shankill Road, in Belfast, on August 28, 1976. Williams and Corrigan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976.
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Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
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Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, left, and Irish official Sean MacBride shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, left, and Irish official Sean MacBride shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974.
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Hanoi's delegate Le Duc Tho cheers to the crowd while leaving the International Conference Center in Paris on January 23, 1973, after meeting with presidential adviser Henry Kissinger, center. Le Duc Tho and Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Hanoi's delegate Le Duc Tho cheers to the crowd while leaving the International Conference Center in Paris on January 23, 1973, after meeting with presidential adviser Henry Kissinger, center. Le Duc Tho and Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.
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German Chancellor Willy Brandt poses after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize n Oslo on December 10, 1971.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
German Chancellor Willy Brandt poses after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize n Oslo on December 10, 1971.
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Dr. Norman Borlaug holds up stalks of his specifically crossbred wheat, designed to be more disease-resistant. Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Dr. Norman Borlaug holds up stalks of his specifically crossbred wheat, designed to be more disease-resistant. Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
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The International Labour Organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. David Morse was the director general of the organization from 1948-70.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
The International Labour Organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. David Morse was the director general of the organization from 1948-70.
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Rene Cassin, the French jurist and a deputy chairman of the NATO committee for human rights, holds up a telegram after being notified of winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Rene Cassin, the French jurist and a deputy chairman of the NATO committee for human rights, holds up a telegram after being notified of winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968.
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Children drink milk handed out by UNICEF workers in Moundou, Chad, on October 26, 1965. UNICEF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.
94 photos: Nobel Peace Prize winners
Children drink milk handed out by UNICEF workers in Moundou, Chad, on October 26, 1965. UNICEF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.
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Story highlights

  • The prestigious Nobel Peace Prize 2015 will be announced Friday
  • The Norwegian Nobel Committee keeps nominees secret for 50 years
  • But that doesn't stop predictions about likely contenders for the prize
(CNN)The 2015 Nobel Peace Prize remains shrouded in secrecy before Friday's announcement of the winner, but that doesn't stop the annual guessing game about who is in the running.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which chooses the laureate, does not name those nominated for 50 years.
"Insofar as certain names crop up in the advance speculations as to who will be awarded any given year's Prize, this is either sheer guesswork or information put out by the person or persons behind the nomination," according to the committee."Information in the Nobel Committee's nomination database is not made public until after fifty years."
However, the committee divulged that there were 273 candidates -- 68 organizations and 205 individuals -- this year.
Here's a look at speculation about the top 10 contenders, beginning with predictions by the director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, Kristian Berg Harpviken, and concluding with the most likely additional laureates, according to the betting site Betfair.

    1. German Chancellor Angela Merkel

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel has played a key role in Europe's response to the migrant crisis.
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel has played a key role in Europe's response to the migrant crisis.
    Harpviken puts Angela Merkel at the top of the list for her response to the massive influx of refugees into Europe.
    "In a time when many have dodged responsibility, Merkel has shown true leadership and risen above politics, taking a humane approach in a difficult situation," he said.
    It's a change in image for Merkel, who previously was dubbed Europe's "Iron Lady" for her hard-line approach to the continent's financial crisis.
    The Chancellor since 2005, she is the first woman to hold the post.
    Merkel, the daughter of a Protestant minister, grew up in a little town in then-communist East Germany and trained as a physicist.
    She entered politics as spokeswoman for East German opposition movement Democratic Awakening during the 1989 revolution.
    Read more: Angela Merkel -- Europe's Mrs. Nein

    2. Juan Manuel Santos and Timoleon Jimenez

    Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, left, and FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez, right, in Havana.
    Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, left, and FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez, right, in Havana.
    Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Timoleon Jimenez, the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, agreed to a path for peace this year, setting the groundwork for a final accord.
    The breakthrough came in Havana, Cuba, where officials from both sides had met to try to hammer out a deal.
    If a final agreement is reached, it will mark the end of the longest-running insurgency in Latin America, and be a major feather in Santos' cap.
    The leftist group began its war against the Colombian government in the 1960s.

    3. Dmitry Muratov and the Novaya Gazeta

    Dmitry Muratov has been the driving force behind Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
    Dmitry Muratov has been the driving force behind Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
    Dmitry Muratov is editor-in-chief and one of the founders of Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper.
    Despite the killings of some of its journalists, the newspaper continues to criticize President Vladimir Putin and hold him accountable.
    In 2007, Muratov was awarded an International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists, which said he was the "driving force" in the "only truly critical newspaper with national influence in Russia today."
    Harpviken said it would be a media first if Novaya Gazetar and its editor receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
    "With Russia's state security apparatus severely restricting the space for public expression, drawing attention to its few remaining independent media would send a strong signal," he said.
    It would also be a full-circle moment: Former President Mikhail Gorbachev used his Nobel Peace Prize money to start the newspaper in the 1990s.

    4. Article 9 Association

    Japanese writer Kenzaburo Oe, part of the Article 9 Association, addresses a peace rally last year in Tokyo.
    Japanese writer Kenzaburo Oe, part of the Article 9 Association, addresses a peace rally last year in Tokyo.
    The Article 9 Association is a pacifist group that has been fighting to preserve a Japanese constitutional clause that prohibits war as a means of settling international disputes.
    The clause was introduced after World War II and prohibited belligerency by the state.
    The awarding of a Nobel Peace Prize to this group could be seen as pointed since it comes shortly after the most dramatic shift in Japanese military policy in 70 years.
    In September, Japan's upper house of parliament passed controversial legislation reinterpreting Article 9.
    The reinterpretation allows Japan to exercise collective self-defense, enabling the Japanese military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, to fight overseas and defend allies with limited conditions.
    "In a region characterized by deep tensions, there are concerns that last year's reinterpretation of Article 9 by the (Shinzo) Abe government and the subsequent 'Peace and Security Preservation Legislation,' passed in September this year, are precursors of armed confrontation," Harpviken said.

    5. Jeanne Nacatche Banyere, Jeannette Kahindo Bindu and Dr. Denis Mukwege

    Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecologist, has helped to provide sanctuary for victims of sexual violence.
    Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecologist, has helped to provide sanctuary for victims of sexual violence.
    Jeanne Nacatche Banyere, Jeannette Kahindo Bindu and Dr. Denis Mukwege work to help rape victims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    Mukwege is a gynecologist who has been something of a savior for victims of sexual violence in his native country, providing a rare sanctuary for survivors.
    Many travel hundreds of miles to have their physical and psychological wounds healed. Rape is a weapon of war in the region, making his services crucial.
    Harpviken said Banyere and Bindu help seek out survivors of sexual violence and provide support, ensuring they receive treatment and help.
    "By awarding the trio's local, grass-roots and on-the-ground actions with a Nobel Prize, the Nobel committee has a chance to strengthen the visibility of sexual violence as a global problem," he said.

    6. Pope Francis

    Pope France has just returned from his first U.S. visit, including a stop in Philadelphia.
    Pope France has just returned from his first U.S. visit, including a stop in Philadelphia.
    Francis is the first non-European pope in the modern era
    His empathy and compassion toward the disenfranchised has earned him fans worldwide, and he has shaken up the Vatican, redefined the papacy and breathed new life into the Catholic Church.
    Other popes have been peace-loving, writing long treatises against the arms race, campaigning against the American wars in Iraq and sending envoys to search for diplomatic solutions.
    But Francis has pleaded pacifism's cause with unusually striking emotion -- while facing provocations such as the rise of ISIS, the conflict in Ukraine, the Gaza war and civil strife in Syria.
    Norwegian lawmaker Abid Raja nominated the Pope or this year's prize, and Betfair ranks him the most likely laureate.

    7. Mussie Zerai

    Catholic priest Mussie Zerai founded Habeshia, an agency to help immigrants to integrate in Italy.
    Catholic priest Mussie Zerai founded Habeshia, an agency to help immigrants to integrate in Italy.
    Mussie Zerai acts as a phone contact for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea for Europe, passing on the coordinates of their boats to rescuers and coast guards.
    The Catholic priest grew up in Eritrea before joining his father in Italy as a 17-year-old political refugee, and he is now based in Switzerland.
    Zerai founded Habeshia, the Agency for Cooperation and Development, in Italy in 2006 to provide solidarity for "asylum seekers, refugees and beneficiaries of humanitarian protection."
    The agency provides help to integrate immigrants in Italy as well as supporting those returning to their countries of origin. "Above all, our task is to give voice to the voiceless People," it says.
    In a 2014 interview with The New Yorker magazine, Zerai downplayed his efforts in the migrant crisis.
    "For me, is only service," he said. "I don't have this type of ... what you say? ... pride. No. I am priest. I am pastor of the persons. Even when the people kiss my hand, they don't kiss me. They kiss Jesus Christ. Not me," The New Yorker quoted him as saying.
    As well as being a bookmaker's favorite, Zerai was No. 1 on Harpviken's January list of potential laureates.

    8. Daisaku Ikeda

    Philosopher Daisaku Ikeda is leader of the Japanese Buddhist group Soka Gakkai International.
    Philosopher Daisaku Ikeda is leader of the Japanese Buddhist group Soka Gakkai International.
    Daisaku Ikeda is president of the Japanese Buddhist group Soka Gakkai International and a philosopher, writer and educator.
    The lay group says it is dedicated to revitalizing Nichiren Buddhism and its "legacy of Buddhist humanism."
    "SGI members are committed to promoting the importance of peace and the ideal of respecting the dignity of life and human rights through various activities, such as through holding exhibitions about the threat of nuclear weapons or humanitarian relief activities," the group's website says.
    Ikeda also founded the nondenominational Soka school system "based on an ideal of fostering each student's unique creative potential and cultivating an ethic of peace, social contribution and global consciousness."
    Soka Gakkai International says: "In (Ikeda's) view, global peace relies ultimately on a self-directed transformation within the life of the individual, rather than on societal or structural reforms alone."
    The group quotes one of Ikeda's writings: "A great inner revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind."

    9. Edward Snowden

    Edward Snowden's revelations about National Security Agency activities generated global shock waves.
    Edward Snowden's revelations about National Security Agency activities generated global shock waves.
    Edward Snowden -- a former contractor at the U.S. National Security Agency who leaked documents about top secret mass surveillance programs -- is a hero to some, traitor to others.
    His 2013 revelations about the scale of the NSA's snooping activities sent shock waves around the globe.
    Civil liberties campaigners see him as a champion for privacy of individuals, but the NSA says Snowden's surveillance leaks had a "material impact" on its ability to prevent and detect terror plots.
    In June, President Barack Obama signed a bill into law revoking the NSA's authority to collect the phone records of millions of Americans.
    Its passage was the culmination of efforts to reform the NSA that blossomed out of Snowden's 2013 revelations.
    In July, the White House rejected a petition with more than 167,000 signatures to pardon Snowden, who has said he wants to return to the United States from Russia, where he has asylum.
    Snowden is a director on the board of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, working "on methods of enforcing human rights through the application and development of new technologies."

    10. Raif Badawi

    Saudi activist Raif Badawi received the PEN Pinter Prize's 2015 International Writer of Courage Award.
    Saudi activist Raif Badawi received the PEN Pinter Prize's 2015 International Writer of Courage Award.
    In 2008, Raif Badawi launched the Free Saudi Liberals website. It didn't take long for the Saudi government to take notice -- detaining him for a day and questioning him about the site.
    Yet Badawi kept on writing and talking publicly about his relatively liberal views in the conservative Middle Eastern nation, even after some clerics branded him an unbeliever and an apostate.
    The Saudi government came down much harder in June 2012 when it arrested Badawi and sent him to prison. He's been there ever since.
    A Jeddah Criminal Court found him guilty in 2013 of insulting Islam through his website and in TV comments, sentencing him to seven years in prison and 600 lashes. He was retried after an appeal, then received an even harsher sentence -- 10 years and 1,000 lashes. He stoically arched his back during his initial public flogging (of 50 lashes) in January, but floggings beyond that have been delayed due to concerns about his health.
    Badawi's open talk on religious matters, his standing his ground and Saudi Arabia's punishment drew the attention of human rights advocacy groups, who accused Riyadh of violating his right to free expression. This week, Badawi was honored as the PEN Pinter Prize's 2015 International Writer of Courage.
    "What moved me was the contrast between the simplicity of Badawi's liberal aims -- their modesty, almost -- and the ferocity of the punishments they have brought down on him," said British poet, journalist and literary critic James Fenton, who chose to share his PEN Pinter Prize with Badawi. "... Protest has a purpose and -- who knows? -- perhaps even a chance of some success."
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