The 1901 Nobel Peace Prize — the first! — was awarded to Henry Dunant, of Switzerland, for his role in founding the International Committee of the Red Cross and to Frédéric Passy, of France, for being one of the main founders of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and also the main organizer of the first Universal Peace Congress.
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes created by the Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel. Since 1901 it has been awarded annually (with some exceptions) to those who 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” Over the next few months we’ll be introducing you to the past Nobel laureates, leading up to the award of the 2016 prize in October.
